Community Events

Puanga

Each year we invite residents and visitors to the district to come together for a community celebration for Puanga – The Māori New Year.

Taranaki school students are invited to enter our Puanga Flag competition each year.

The 2023 Puanga Flag competition is now open and entries close Friday 9 June 2023.

Download our entry form here.

Puanga is a time to reflect on the year that’s been and look to the future. As part of our annual celebration we invite people to visit our Puanga rakau (tree) in Prospero Place to participate in a reflections and aspirations activity.

Scarecrow Trail

Stratford district’s famous Scarecrow Trail runs every year in October/November to coincide with the region’s garden festivals.

Community businesses, schools, pre-schools and families make a scarecrow to display around the district and then people are invited to hit the trail with friends and family to see how many scarecrows they can find. It’s a fun, free activity for everyone to do, with prizes up for grabs for those who play each year.

It's almost time! The Scarecrow Trail is open from 28 November - 13 November 2022.

Children's Day

We annually celebrate our local tamariki on Te Rā o Ngā Tamariki / Children's Day with lots of fun and free activities!

Anzac Day & Chunuk Bair

Stratford District Council supports and contributes to the celebration of Anzac Day and other memorial celebrations such as Chunuk Bair. We work in conjunction with the RSA and other community groups to ensure that commemoration services are accessible to the public and that our past and present service members are rightly honoured.

For information about Stratford's Anzac Day and Chunuk Bair commemorations contact the Community Development Team on 06 765 6099.

Summer Nights

Summer Nights are our annual arts and entertainment outdoor events that are free for the community to enjoy with whānau and friends.

Each year we hold a concert and movies in King Edward Park. We cross our fingers and hope for fine weather so everyone can enjoy free entertainment surrounded by Stratford's beautiful scenery.

Concerts over the years have included talented New Zealanders such as The Topp Twins, Shaun Preston, The Slacks and The Warratahs as well as local up and coming artists.

We screen family friendly movies (new and old!) on the big screen and it's an opportunity for people to sit back and relax during the warmer months.

Prospero Market

The Prospero Market is a fun filled community event held on the last Saturday of each month between 9am and 12pm (or 10am to 1pm during the winter months) in Prospero Place, Stratford.

The event supports small local businesses and has a range of goods from fresh produce to handmade crafts. Each event will often have live music from local musicians, face painting and Glockenspiel tours.

Learn more about the market.