About the Festival
Adrenalin, laughter, relaxation, inspiration, great food and wine and most importantly a lot of fun. The inaugural Marlborough Sounds Water & Wilderness Festival has five weekends set to capture what you need to refresh yourself after winter and runs from September 26 until Labour Weekend 25 -27 October, 2008.
Over these five distinctly different weekends this spring festival showcases the Marlborough Sounds, one of New Zealand’s favourite playgrounds. Each weekend focuses on a set of Sounds experiences:
Water & Wilderness in the Sounds – 26-28 September
Sounds Adventure Challenge – 3-5 October
Sounds Seafood School – 10-12 October
Creative Sounds – 17-19 October
Spring in the Sounds – 24-27 October
Every weekend there are fantastic food celebrations, matched with wine from some of Marlborough’s best wineries and music to match. The celebrations are based at The Portage Resort Hotel, which offers ease of access to both Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sound. The Portage has good sealed road access and is just 15 minutes from Picton by boat.
Water and Wilderness experiences are the heroes of the Festival with a great range of iconic Marlborough Sounds activities on offer.
You can spend a day on the Queen Charlotte Track with a choice of cruise and walk from the Cougar Line, kayak and walk or mountain bike and walk combinations with Wilderness Guides. Or jump aboard a boat to explore the bays and inlets or head out fishing with an experienced skipper from Sounds Connection.
On Kenepuru Sound join the Greenshell Mussel Cruise from Marlborough Travel. At The Portage Resort Hotel beachfront, kayaks, mountain bikes, speedboats and yacht are all available for hire from Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company or head in to the heart of Marlborough’s famous wine region on a half or full day tour.
At the end of each day the Festival continues with celebrations like the Marlborough Winemakers Dinner matched to an 4 course tasting menu, BBQs by the beach, Jazz and Cabaret Dinner, and a Seafood Feast following the alfresco seafood cooking school featuring guest Chef Maree Connolly.
Underpinning all of the Water and Wilderness Festival is Marlborough wonderful wine, ensuring you are able to experience all that Marlborough and the Sounds have to offer.
The Marlborough Sounds Water & Wilderness Festival – a month of celebrations, adventure, discovery, fun and laughter with your friends and family.
