Your Rotorua Guide to Matariki

Celebrate Matariki in Rotorua with a programme of music, kai, storytelling and whānau-friendly events marking te tau hou Māori.

Rotorua celebrates Matariki, the Māori New Year, with a programme of cultural events, community gatherings and the annual Matariki Drone Show. The drone display illuminates the night sky with stories inspired by Matariki offering a modern interpretation of Māori storytelling. Across the region, Matariki celebrations include cultural experiences, performances and opportunities for communities to come together to remember the past, celebrate the present and look forward to the future. These events honour the traditions of Matariki while showcasing Rotorua's unique cultural identity and the enduring stories that connect people to this place.

A time for remembrance, celebrating the present and looking to the future.