Ngā Hui Taurima

Auckland Writers Festival is New Zealand’s premier literary event, and ‘brings the very best local and international writers of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, scientists, economists, poets, journalists and public intellectuals together with audiences to explore ideas, share stories and experience brilliant conversations.’ Most events take place at the Aotea Centre in Tāmaki Makarau, with the Streetside night held at different venues around Britomart. The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards ceremony is part of the festival.

Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival is a biennial event, and will be held 17–19 October 2025. ‘The multi-day festival will again offer a diverse array of events, including author readings, panel discussions, book signings, and engaging conversations spanning various genres and literary themes.’ Jen Stokes is the festival’s co-director.

An annual festival held over a weekend in May, the Featherston Booktown Festival programme has a diverse range of events, including workshops, panel discussions, and readings.

Based in Titirangi and other locations in West Auckland, Going West was a festival held each spring. The trust is currently offering one-off events and masterclasses, and setting up the Maurice Shadbolt House residency.

This new festival for Maori writers launched in 2022 and is held in Rotorua, often including school and marae events. In 2025 the annual Pikihuia Awards will be part of the programme.

This writers festival has been running each winter since 2014. Its venues are the ASB Theatre Marlborough in Blenheim and Spy Valley Wines in the Waihopai Valley.

Nelson Arts Festival has a literary programme (Pukapuka Talks) that features workshops, panel discussions, and readings.

Queenstown Writers Festival is ‘a boutique festival that brings writers and readers together to celebrate the written word in many forms.’

Tauranga Arts Festival held two literary workshops in October 2021: Writing Romance 101, and Turning Memories into Memoir. Each year the festival includes a number of panels and interviews with writers.

‘Lit. Whanganui Booklovers Festival conjures a diverse biennial programme of books, reading, writing, authors, discussion, and ideas from across the motu and beyond, to entertain, educate and charm our Whanganui bookloving community. Because of our location and our attitude, we’re an intimate and vibrant festival that directly connects writers to audiences.

Between festivals, we also play host to a string of author events, hand selected to bring storytelling personalities to the Whanganui community.’

‘We bring writers and readers together with a vibrant series of events that celebrate our stories, ideas and books.’

‘LitCrawl Wellington is always the centrepiece of our party with over 24 events in one Saturday night, with over 140 artists, and 20 of Wellington’s indie businesses and public spaces.’ Verb also runs a number of writers’ residencies

‘We give Christchurch audiences direct access to the best in New Zealand and the world, ground-breaking ideas, Ngāi Tahu stories, and opportunities for local writers & artists to create new work.’ In 2024 over 20% of events were free entry.