Live music
Local musicians playing through the day while you eat, wander and settle into the grass.
Mangaroa Farms Spring Festival — Kōanga — Sat 31 October, 10am - 3pm
Join us for a full day of farm charm - live music, kids activities, garden and orchard tours, workshops, local vendors and good kai.
1500+
people at our last festival
Free entry
registration essential
10am - 3pm
five hours of farm charm
4.8★
rated by 69 Google reviews
A seasonal celebration
Twice a year we run our Spring and Harvest festivals - this is a chance for us to open the gate and welcome our wider Mangaroa Farms community for a day of wholesome farm vibes. In autumn we celebrated our Harvest Festival with over 1500 people. This spring we celebrate renewal - new growth in the gardens, new life in the paddocks, and the sun finding its way back to Whitemans Valley.
Spring Festival lands on the 31st of October, so expect a little spring magic in the theming too. Wander the gardens, meet the animals, learn something new at a workshop, and settle in with good food and live music. Come for an hour or stay the whole day.
What’s on
A day of farm charm
Kids activities
The farm turns into a playground, with face painting, games, pet-a-sheep, farm machinery and more.
Regenerative garden tours
Learn how good food is grown right here on the farm, from the people who grew it. Limited spots, $20 each. Kids free with adults.
Permaculture orchard tours
Explore the young food forest and the permaculture and syntropic agroforestry thinking behind it. Limited spots, $20 each.
Workshops & demos
Hands-on sessions with our team and friends of the farm. Lineup announced soon.
Local vendors & kai
Food trucks, coffee, and stalls from local makers and growers we love.
Tickets
Register free, book your tours
Entry is free, but registration is essential. Your ticket is how we plan parking, kai and activities for the numbers on the day, and how we get you everything you need before the festival.
- Helps us plan parking, kai and activities for the crowd
- The timetable, parking directions and updates land in your inbox
- First to hear when workshops and lineup drops are announced
Free entry
General admission
The whole day, the whole whānau. Registration is essential - your free ticket keeps our numbers right and gets you the timetable and parking info before the day.
Free
0
Book your tours
Small groups with the growers - 45 minutes, $20, and they sold out last festival.
Garden Tour
10:30AM - 11:15AM
35 spots left
$20
0
Permaculture Orchard Tour
11:30AM - 12:15PM
31 spots left
$20
0
Garden Tour
12:30PM - 1:15PM
38 spots left
$20
0
Permaculture Orchard Tour
1:30PM - 2:15PM
38 spots left
$20
0
Add your tickets above, then check out here. Or get tickets on our store.
About the tours
Experience true regenerative farming
Our Market Garden and Permaculture Orchard tours blend education with hands-on experience, leaving you uplifted and inspired with new techniques to try at home. Our knowledgeable guides share insights into our growing methods, the importance of biodiversity, and how our practices contribute to the wellbeing of our soils.
What to expect
- Guided tour with our expert team
- Education on regenerative and biodynamic farming principles
- Demonstrations of our unique and efficient farm equipment
- Engaging kōrero and Q&A sessions
- Custom designed take-home pamphlet
- Option to walk our stunning farm loop track with native forest regeneration
Tours are suitable for all ages and designed to foster engagement and appreciation for sustainable farming. We’re proud of how we steward this whenua and provide kai to our community.
Book your tourFeel the vibe
Watch the highlight reel
The shape of the day
Plan your visit
All day
Mangaroa coffee cart & sausage sizzle
10:00am
Gates open
10:30am
11:00am
Kapa haka
Sheepdog demo
11:30am
Live music (until 1:30pm)
Permaculture Orchard Tour $20 Book now →
12:00pm
Ōrongomai hāngī
Sheep shearing demo
Spinners & weavers demo
12:30pm
Market Garden Tour $20 Book now →
Flower crown workshop
1:30pm
Maypole dance
Permaculture Orchard Tour $20 Book now →
Sheepdog demo
Sheep shearing demo
Spinners & weavers demo
2:30pm
Farming Q&A with our farm manager
3:00pm
Event close - thanks for coming
Kids activities - running all day
- · Multispecies maze & treasure hunt
- · Pony rides
- · Sensory play
- · Foraging and tea with Earth School Aotearoa
- · Machinery demos
- · Lawn games
- · Flower crown making
⭐ Schedule subject to change - the final timetable will be posted before the day. On the day, check in with the information desk or any of our staff and volunteers if you’re not sure where anything is.
How to prepare
Good to know before you come
Parking & getting here
Event parking is just down the road from the farm - a short walk to the gates. Follow the parking signs on the day and our crew will point you the right way. Carpool if you can - it eases parking and our footprint.
Timing your visit
Gates open at 10am and the day wraps at 3pm. The busiest stretch is usually around lunchtime - come early for a quieter wander.
Kai on the day
Pulled lamb buns, beef sausage buns and herb falafel buns with fresh salad, sauerkraut, aioli and pickles - plus gluten-free wraps, organic juices, kefir water, hāngī from our friends at Ōrongomai Marae, and the Mangaroa coffee shack pouring coffee, hot chocolate and chai. Menu subject to change.
Bring your reusables
A reusable coffee cup, water bottle and plate go a long way to keeping the day low-waste. Bring a sunhat and dress for spring weather while you’re at it.
Little ones & the maze
The multispecies maze is for everyone - just keep an eye on small kids, as little ones can lose their way in there.
A working farm
Please be mindful of hazards and the road, use common sense, and keep an eye on your kids. Our health & safety crew are on site all day - flag any of the team if you need a hand.
Sorry, no furry friends
With livestock, kids and a busy road, dogs stay home for this one - but come along and see our sheepdogs at work.
Scenes from our festivals
This is what a farm day feels like
“Harvest festival is a must - a lovely experience to be at the farm, and there is an activity for all age groups. A great blessing for our community.”
“A must visit if you’re around Upper Hutt - 40 minutes drive from Wellington.”
“The kind of place where food is grown, sourced and presented with integrity. Absolutely worth visiting at any time of year.”
Volunteer
Help bring the festival to life
Days like this run on aroha and helping hands. Our volunteer crew welcomes visitors, helps with parking, runs kids activities, and keeps the whole day humming - come for a shift or stay the whole day, and be part of making it happen.
Apply to volunteer
Tell us a little about yourself and when you’re free on the day - we’ll come back to you with the details.
Getting here
Find us on the farm
98 Whitemans Valley Road, Upper Hutt- · Entry is free, but registration is essential - it keeps our numbers right and gets you the pre-event info.
- · Follow the event parking signs on the day and our crew will point you the right way.
- · The farm shop will be open, stocked with our own produce and local goodies.
Vendors
Hold a stall at the festival
Keen to bring your kai, craft or goodness to the festival? We love showcasing local makers and growers - get in touch and tell us what you do.
Get in touchSee you on the whenua
Saturday 31 October, 10am to 3pm. Free entry, all welcome - registration essential.
Get your free tickets