Family Festivals & Public Holidays - Information for NZ Parents

Festivals, Events, Public Holidays in NZ - note the 2010 & 2011 dates and what each holiday celebrates.

We aim to provide you with the history of each festival, and give you ideas for sharing the celebration with your children. Some festivals have very strong traditions, while others have evolved more recently. Why not use some of these festivals to share another culture with your children, and start a family tradition of your own?

This section is still in the growing stages, so if you are aware of an upcoming festival or cultural event that you think should be covered, then drop us a line and we will add it to this section.

Happy Celebrating!

New Year's Day 1 January	Public holiday - Monday 3 January 2011
Day after New Years Day 2 January	Public holiday - Tuesday 4 January 2011
Waitangi Day 6 February	Sunday 6 February 2011
Chinese New Year 3 February 2011	Exploding firecrackers and dancing dragons - great fun!
Shrove Tuesday Tuesday 8 March 2011	Pancakes and fun mark the beginning of Lent (you could give something up and donate to your favourite charity!)
Ash Wednesday Wednes 9 March 2011	The first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday occurs 46 days before Easter.
Valentines Day 14 February	A day to make friends, family and lovers feel special Monday 14 February 2011
Children's Day Sunday 7 March 2010	A wonderful day to experience lots of fun free events with your family
St Patricks Day Wednes. 17 March 2010	Wear something green, dance a jig and search for a 4 leafed clover - the kids will love it!
Passover full moon in April	Passover is a festival celebrated by both Jewish and Christian families. Read Diane Levy's article here.
Easter Friday 2 April & Monday 5 April 2010	Read all about the story of Easter here, as well as discovering fun craft ideas for you & the kids
Anzac Day 25 April	A time for us to remember and honour all of those who have lost their life at war. Sunday 25 April 2010
Mother's Day Sunday 9 May 2010	A day to celebrate and recognise Mothers.
Youth Week 22 - 30 May 2010	Recognising the part that young people play in our communities.
Queen's Birthday 1st Monday in June	Monday 7 June 2010
Matariki new moon in June	A time to celebrate new beginnings and recognise the Maori New Year. Events happening around New Zealand are published here .
Mid Winter Christmas	Christmas really can come more than once a year. Instead of hibernating this winter - let's celebrate!
Maori Language Week in July	Celebrating the Maori Language in New Zealand.
Fathers Day 1st Sunday in September	A day to celebrate and recognise Dads Sunday 5 September 2010
Labour Day 4th Monday in October	Monday 25 October 2010
Halloween 31 October	Scary costumes, trick or treating, lots of lollies and treats! Sunday 31 October 2010
Guy Fawkes 5 November	Fireworks, bonfires and great excitement for the kids - just make sure everyone stays safe! Friday 5 November 2010
Christmas Day 25 December	The biggest and most anticipated family day of the year, especially for young children. Public holiday - Friday 25 December 2009
Boxing Day 26 December	Another big family day. Public Holiday - Monday 28 December 2009