Maybe Baby – Meet the author 24 October 2026, Saturday, 4pm Venue: RIVER-T Winery, 5292A Kurow-Duntroon Road Meet the author. A moving, funny and thought-provoking novel.  Nate, a grieving widower, is determined to honour his late wife and find a way to have the child they were desperate to raise together. After various attempts to…

One Night Rant – James Nokise 25 October 2026, Sunday, 7pm, Oamaru Opera House “Politicians, Policies, and everyone in between; James Nokise’s here to skewer them all.”  There are three things you can count on this election years:  Ministerial soundbites that age like milk, policy walk-backs hours after announcements, and James Nokise having hot comedic…

Gareth Thomas Album Release BITS  23 October 2026, Friday, 8pm, Oamaru Opera House Gareth Thomas is an esteemed musician and songwriter based in Te Henga (Bethells Beach, Auckland). Best known for his work writing, producing and performing in Goodshirt, Fazerdaze and his run of solo albums (2015’s Lady Alien, 2016’s Fizzy Milk), Thomas has provided Aotearoa with anthems that are woven into our nation’s…

WAITAKI VALLEY WINEGROWERS   22 October 2026, Thursday, 6pm-8pm, Oamaru Opera House WINE TASTING EVENING Book Waitaki Valley is one of New Zealand’s smallest and most visually striking wine regions, framed by the Southern Alps and Pacific Ocean. Our unique limestone, volcanic and glacial soils combined with a cool, dry climate to produce small quantities of…

Te Radar’s Kiwi Country Rural NZ in 100 Objects 23 October 2026, Friday, 6.30PM, Kurow Memorial Hall 24 October 2026, Saturday, 7PM, Oamaru Opera House What’s a fipple flute and why should you not talk about them around the stockyards?  Exactly how dry is a Swanndri? Kurow Event fundraiser for South Star School Trust. Book…

The After Party with Te Radar  22 October 2026, Thursday, 7.30pm – The Cellar Door NZ Whisky Everyone has a favourite party song — what’s yours, and why? Join Te Radar for a celebration of music, memory and mayhem in the Festival’s best little interactive afterparty. Expect big laughs, surprising stories and a playlist packed…

North Otago Highland Pipe Band 18 October 2026, Sunday, 2pm, Oamaru Opera House 125TH ANNIVERSARY VARIETY CONCERT  Experience an afternoon of music, dance and Scottish tradition as the North Otago Highland Pipe Band presents a Scottish Variety Show at the Oamaru Opera House. Students under 16y old Free of charge – please e-mail us: operahouse@waitaki.govt.nz…

Ding Dong Sing Song Pub Quiz Games Night Costume Party 17 October 2026, Saturday, 5.30pm- 7.30pm, Oamaru Opera House. 18 October 2026, Sunday, 4pm- 6pm, Waitaki Hotel Kurow ROLLICKING GREAT FUN The Kurow event is a fundraiser for the Waitaki Valley Health Hub. Groups of 6 will be seated at each table. Book 17 October…

Fly My Pretties 16 October 2026, Friday, 8pm, Oamaru Opera House Fly My Pretties will head to the Waitaki Arts Festival for the first time for a special one-off performance at the beautiful Oamaru Opera House. This show will see them bringing songs from their seventh album Elemental to life, alongside a range of the…

THE TEMPESTUOUS 20 October 2026, Tuesday, 7PM, Oamaru Opera House A Shrew’d New Comedy by Will Shakespeare and Penny Ashton Penny Ashton is back…skewering the Bard Himself Book The brain behind Promise & Promiscuity, Olive Copperbottom and Austen Found is heading out on her 6th Arts on Tour odyssey with her new critically acclaimed solo…