Press Release: Wellington Heritage Festival Expands to 156 Events in 2024
Wellington Heritage Festival 2024 returns bigger than ever from October 26 to November 17, with a record-breaking 156 events across the Greater Wellington region.
This year marks a significant milestone as the Festival continues to grow, having expanded from 62 events in 2022 to 156 events in 2024.
For the first time, the festival boasts a substantial presence in the Wairarapa, with 10 exciting events in the region, led by local iwi, community groups, and small businesses.
With tours, workshops, performances, and exhibitions, the Festival brings history to life for all ages. Whether you’re keen to delve into mana whenua stories at breathtaking marae, discover Wellington's architectural wonders, or participate in hands-on heritage workshops, there’s something for everyone.
To help people plan some weekends away to check out events, a new 'Focus Weekends' system has been added, where most events on in a given weekend take place in a specific region. The first weekend of the Festival (26th - 29th October) will focus on Wellington City, the second (2nd - 3rd November) on the Hutt Valley, the third (9th - 10th November) on the Kāpiti Coast, Porirua, and Tawa areas, and the last (16th - 17th November) will focus on the Wairarapa.
"Wellington Heritage Festival has become a mainstay for celebrating our people, places, and stories." says Alex Hockley, Chief Executive & Festival Director. "I believe we're the largest heritage Festival in the country now, by event count."
The Wellington Heritage Festival is proudly delivered by the Rotary Clubs of the Wellington Region and the Wellington Heritage Festival Trust, which became a registered charity in 2024. The trust, chaired by Dr. Roger Blakeley, ensures the Festival’s continued growth and commitment to celebrating the region's diverse heritage.
"It's thousands of hours of hard mahi, but it's an honour to work with our region's iwi, organisations, and individuals to share stories, identities, and cultures with a wider audience." continues Hockley. "The growth we've seen over these last years shows the passion of the community, and the ongoing interest in, and importance of, our shared heritage."
Wellington Heritage Festival 2024 is sponsored by the Eastern and Central Community Trust, Historic Places Wellington, Hutt City Council, Kāpiti Coast District Council, Trust House Foundation, Wellington City Council, Four Winds Foundation, The Heritage Practice, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, and Hiamo. With the festival's rapid growth and expanded offerings, private donations are welcome to help support the dedicated team behind the scenes and ensure the sustainability of this important cultural event.
For more details on the full program of events, visit https://wellingtonheritagefestival.co.nz/