Events Fund

We're committed to supporting a balanced portfolio of events across the district. This includes providing an annual contestable events fund that is open for both commercial and community events.

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2025-2026 Events Fund

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Previous Fund Recipients

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2025-2026 Events Fund

The 2025-2026 Events Fund is for people looking to organise events that benefit the community. The fund is open to both commercial and community-level events.

The funding criteria supports events that are committed to environmental sustainability, economic impact, event diversity, and positive community benefits. 

The 2025-2026 Events Fund closed for applications on 30 April 2025.

Councillors reviewed applications in May, with final decisions made by Full Council on 26 June 2025. Applicants will be notified of the outcome in July.

See a list of recipients for the Events Fund 2025-2026 and fund guidelines below:

Previous Fund Recipients

Our 2024-2025 events funding recipients were:

$30,000 and over

  • Challenge Wānaka $30,000

  • LUMA Light Festival $35,000

  • Queenstown Marathon $32,100

  • Wānaka Festival of Colour $30,000

Under $30,000

  • Ripe – Wānaka Wine and Food Festival $25,000

  • Wānaka A & P Show $25,000

  • Wheels at Wānaka 2025 $20,000

  • Arrowtown Autumn Festival $20,000

  • Winter Games NZ $20,000

  • NZ Golf Open $20,000

  • Proving Grounds (mountain biking event) $20,000

  • Motatapu $20,000

  • Lake Hayes A & P Show $15,000

  • NZ Junior Rugby – Global Games $15,000

  • The WILD (trail running event) $15,000

  • Wao Summit $12,000

  • Central Lakes Polyfest $10,000

  • Queenstown Multicultural Festival $10,000

  • NZ Mountain Film Festival $5,000

  • OUT & About Wānaka $5,000

We continue to work in partnership with our sustainability and climate action teams to develop and support events' sustainability measures.