Amongst events in Queenstown and Wanaka a special place goes to the Southern Lakes Festival of Colour. Held every two years the festival is a fascinating display of different arts, consisting of six days and exciting nights of mesmerizing exhibitions and performances. Held with the picturesque backdrop of the beautiful Southern Lakes, the extravaganza features theatre, music, art and dance with performances by international as well as local artistes. The festival has made a name for itself as one of the South Island’s premier arts festivals attracting vast numbers of visitors; it also enjoys great local support.

Although the fiesta is largely focused on the locale of Lake Wanaka, it reaches out to venues in the vicinity, such as Queenstown, Hawea, Luggate, Glenorchy and Cromwell. In 2011 the festival featured musical presentations from such artists as Michael Houstoun, The Phoenix Foundation, Micheline and Anna Coddington.  Notable theatrical productions included ‘Rita and Douglas’, a new play focusing on the relationship between composer Douglas Lilburn and painter Rita Angus. Meanwhile ‘Riverside Drive’ portrayed the teenage subculture of the 1950s. The acclaimed duo Fabio and Ana Robles and their accompanying dance troupe provided such high energy features as the chacha, tango, lambada and more. Other highlights included street performers, art exhibitions and the Aspiring Conversations debate and discussion programme.

The Festival of Colour derives its name from the autumnal splendour of the Lake Wanaka area at the time of year when the fiesta is conducted. At this time the leaves turn shades of vibrant reds and glowing gold, and the pleasant climate is always a delight, assuring that every visitor will enjoy an enchanting experience.