Festival back with ‘fabulous lineup’

Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Hurst bring sell-out play, In Other Words, a love story...
Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Hurst bring sell-out play, In Other Words, a love story exploring Alzheimer’s and the power of music to connect us. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/DEAN O'GORMAN
Wānaka will be awash with music, dance, theatre, and literature at the end of March, when the Festival of Colour returns for the 11th time.

The festival is held every second year and will be joined by its sister festival, the Aspiring Conversations Festival, held annually.

Artistic director Sophie Kelly said there was a "fabulous lineup" of performances in the 2025 programme.

"This year's programme delves into themes of identity, belonging and self-expression, inviting our audiences to explore diverse perspectives and personal narratives," she said.

"We celebrate the unique heritage of Wānaka and its region, drawing inspiration and stories from local legends, history, traditions and rituals."

The festival begins on March 29 with an early bird lake plunge, followed by a free Community Whānau Day at the Dinosaur Park and lakefront.

In the evening, the festival moves to the Crystal Palace on the Wānaka Hotel lawn for an open mic night, presented by Creative Juices.

Throughout the festival week, there will be a wide range of international, national and local events, including award-winning Canadian circus "ANIMAL", a cabaret "An Evening Without Kate Bush" and Chamber Music New Zealand’s "Reimagining Mozart".

"Subtle Dances" brings together some of New Zealand’s finest dancers from BalletCollective Aotearoa and "Upu", a theatrical celebration of Māori and Pasifika literature curated by award-winning poet Grace Iwashita-Taylor, will bring the powerful voices of Oceania to life.

Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Hurst bring sell-out theatre, "In Other Words", a love story exploring Alzheimer’s and the power of music to connect us.

Te Radar’s "CookBookery" serves up comedy and a deep-dive into Kiwi cookbooks and quirky culinary oddities and Wilson Dixon performs his comedic show "Love Don’t Live Here Anymore, You Do".

The diverse lineup includes indie music acts The Veils, Delaney Davidson, The Eastern, and a group sing-off led by musical heavyweights Jason Te Mete and Rutene Spooner in Battle Chorus.

Respected writers, musicians, professors, and journalists will join the Aspiring Conversations lineup, including Ruth Shaw, Anne Salmond, Mike McRoberts, Susan Devoy, and comedy duo Jools and Lynda Topp.

— APL