Focus Weekend: Wairarapa 8th - 9th November 2025

With our Focus Weekends, you can experience multiple heritage-themed events across the city in a single weekend, minimising travel time and maximising your experience. Whether you're interested in walking tours, creative heritage, or unique historical insights, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

This is our final Focus Weekend blog post of the 2025 Festival. You can read our previous blog posts on our blog page. Keep an eye on our website to discover more!

Discover the Heritage of the Wairarapa

Travel out to the West Coast on the weekend of the 8th-9th November and discover historic towns and stunning landscapes that define the Wairarapa and its communities. Below are only SOME of the events in the area; you can filter using region, cost, date, and event type on our Events page, making it easy to discover even more options around the wider region.

Saturday, 8th November 2025

• Fell Locomotive Museum Open Day 10am-4pm Sat 8 + Sun 9 | Fell Locomotive Museum, Featherston | Costs vary - Find out more Start your Saturday in Featherston and learn about the 1877 railway line that connected the town to Wellington over the steep Rimutaka Incline.

• Historic Featherston Stories Trail Anytime | Featherston Heritage Complex, 70-72 Fitzherbert Street | Free - Find out more From the Fell Locomotive Museum or Featherston Heritage Museum pick up a walking guide that highlights nearby places of historic significance. Grab some early lunch while you stroll and enjoy learning about the history of the town.

• The Lives and Legacies of Japanese Prisoners at Featherston Military Camp 12:30-1:30pm Sat 8 + Sun 9 | Featherston Heritage Museum, Fitzherbert Street | $5 - Find out more Returning back to the Featherston Heritage Museum you can join this insightful talk by Wairarapa history expert Neil Frances, about the almost 1,000 Japanese prisoners of war during World War 2 who were imprisoned in a training camp just outside of town.

• Rototawai Historic Homestead: A must visit in South Wairarapa 2-4pm | 808 Kahutara Rd, Kahutara, Wairarapa | $30 - Booking required Next on your journey explore this stunning restored historic homestead, now turned art gallery, settled within the beautiful gardens at Rototawai.

• The History Quiz 7-9pm | Featherston Memorial RSA, 57 Fox Street, Featherston | $15 - Booking required Grab a group of friends and put your collective history knowledge to the test with this fun-filled trivia quiz, refreshments included! All proceeds go to the Featherston Memorial RSA’s renovation fund.

• Featherston Ghost Stories 10-11pm | 63 Fox Street, Featherston | $20 - Booking required An evening event to send a shiver up your spine, paranormal writer Denver Grenell weaves spooky tales by candlelight that are sure to keep you up all night. Come and listen if you dare!

Sunday, 9th November 2025

• Greytown Tales on Foot – Walking Tour 11am-12:30pm | Greytown Hotel, 33 Main Street, Greytown | $45 - Booking required Start your Sunday with a guided heritage tour through Greytown’s history, every stop along the way revealing the tales of the past. Whether you are a local or a visitor, you are sure to come away with a new appreciation of Wairarapa's oldest town.

• Living Victorian Village experience 10:30am-2:30pm Sat 8 + Sun 9 | 169 Main St, Greytown | Costs vary - Find out more Be transported back in time at the Cobblestone Museum, as you explore the many heritage buildings and artifacts that reflect the lives of its Victorian era residents. Bring the kids along to enjoy some old-timey games on the village green, a perfect spot to enjoy a picnic and unwind.

• Aratoi Guided Gallery Tour 2-3pm | 12 Bruce Street, Masterton | $20.00 - Booking required Alternatively, head up to Masterton and take a guided tour of Aratoi Gallery's Summer exhibition, led by one of the exhibition team.

• 100 Years of Tranzit: Self Guided Tour 10am-4pm Sat 8 + Sun 9 Nov | 12 Bruce Street, Masterton | Free - Find out more Within Aratoi Museum you will find an exhibition on the history of New Zealand's very own Tranzit Group, started in the Wairarapa.

• Waifilmfest presents: Never Forgotten: The Marines of Masterton 3:15-5pm | 30 Jellicoe St, Martinborough | Costs vary - Book now If you find yourself further down south at the end of the day, don't miss this chance to see an insightful documentary sharing stories of the U.S Marines stationed in Masterton during World War 2. Filmmaker and local historian Mark Pacey reveals the relationships of the Marines within the community and how their presence has left a lasting legacy on Masterton.

Make the Most of Your Weekend

With many great events across the Wairarapa, enjoying a full day or weekend of heritage-themed activities is easy. Here are some tips to make the most of your time:

• Plan Ahead: Check the event timings and locations to plan your day. Many events are a short drive away or within the same location, making it easy to move from one to the next.

• Secure Your Spot Early: Some events in our Festival require bookings and are selling out fast! Book your tickets where necessary to make sure you don't miss out. You can see which events require bookings on our Events page.

• Explore More: Between events, take the time to explore other attractions, such as nearby cafes and shops.

• Stay Engaged: Don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using our festival hashtags (#whf25) and check out our website for more information about the full festival lineup.

Looking Forward

Even with our final weekend coming up, there's still plenty of events to explore across the Greater Wellington Region, now's a great time to dive into the past and discover the stories, people and places that shape the present. Be sure to check out our previous blog posts and keep an eye out for Festival updates throughout the year.

To see the full schedule for the Festival, visit our events page.