Waitangi Welcomes the World — The Festival

Waitangi Welcomes the World — The Festival, on the Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands in Northland, is three days of celebration, with Māori cultural events, rugby-inspired happenings and quintessential Kiwi experiences.

Waitangi is the birthplace of the nation. It is a place that all New Zealanders belong to, evoking the very essence and history of New Zealand's beginnings.

In 1840, at the Treaty House in Waitangi, Māori and Europeans joined in signing the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document. The vast, park-like Treaty Grounds  on which the Treaty House is situated, are also home to a fully carved Māori Meeting House and one of the largest remaining Māori war canoes. This area is a "must see" for any visitor interested in New Zealand's history and culture, and for those in the country for Rugby World Cup. The area is coming alive for you with Waitangi Welcomes the World — The Festival.

Over three days, the Waitangi National Trust is hosting a major celebration for international visitors and New Zealanders — giving them a sampling of our culture and history, an insight into what it means to be a New Zealander and a whole lot of fun!

There will be musical entertainment by talented local artists, cultural performances, Māori games and sport including ki-o-rahi competitions and waka (Māori canoes) on the water. An artisan village will enable visitors to watch master craftspeople weaving and carving.

The marine environment of the Bay, as always at Waitangi, will be a special feature, and adding to the spectacle during Waitangi Welcomes the World — The Festival, a flotilla of waka and other vessels will be out on the water, watched over by several cruise ships anchored nearby.

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