Toast’s Festival Road makes for a walkable event

Take away the cars and they will come? 

The new owners of Toast Martinborough (Foley Wines) are offering a major revamp of the 30-year-old wine, food and live music weekend, with shanks pony a bigger part of the activities _ and cars banned from Festival Road.

The updated and up-priced event now covers Wellington Anniversary weekend, stretching from Friday night through Monday, instead of its traditional latish-November weekend slot.

Festival Road as it’s branded, along its 2.5 kilometers, leads past the six key wineries signed in to the event _ The Runholder, Moy Hall, Luna Estate, Poppies Martinborough, Tirohana Estate and Ata Rangi. Each venue has wine. Then there is food and live music. … Continue Reading

Train services cut for 46 days urgent track work – December 2024

Buses over the hill will replace trains under the hill for 46 days _ from December 26 through February 10 _ as eight kilometers of Remutaka Tunnel track are replaced.

KiwiRail plans the work as part of a full upgrade of the Masterton-Upper Hutt link, with the tunnel rail line not upgraded since it was installed in 1955 _ some 70 years ago, KiwiRail manager of Metro Services Jon Knight said in a statement. … Continue Reading

Unnerving contrasts in Aratoi summer

By Becky Bateman

Aratoi’s Summer exhibitions are a riot of colour, but the stories behind these works will surprise and inspire you.

Main Gallery exhibition ‘Never Be Seen’ is an exhibition of artists who utilise the tension inherent in perception – through the literal use of blue and green tones, the telling of histories hidden in plain sight, forgotten objects, slippages in language, and unnerving contrasts.

“The saying goes ‘blue and green should never be seen’,” laughs Aratoi Director Sarah McClintock. “As a rule of colour its origins are murky – but it likely relates to the fact that the colours sit next to each other on a standard colour wheel.”

On the opposite side of the Main Gallery, forces of nature Keren Chiaroni, Emily Efford and Cathrine Lloyd return to Aratoi with the exhibition ‘Dream Gardens.’ … Continue Reading

How Well Do We Know People In Our Community? – December 2024

By Lyle Griffiths

Born in Whanganui, Mariana McDermott first lived with her mother in the home of her grandmother. After her mother remarried, the family moved to Martinborough, to Hikawera, where her stepfather, Tiki Mahupuku McGregor, built his own home. It was close to the old meeting house, which had been burnt down by a swagger who inadvertently went to sleep with his cigarette still burning.

“My stepfather had an interesting background. He came from the Papawai Marae.

“His mother was Maata Asher (Martha Grace), the close friend of Katherine Mansfield.

“I loved going to Martinborough School,” said Mariana. “The school bus would pick me up from the gate outside our home. The teachers were kind. if you were having problems with a subject they would always help. But we were also accustomed to speaking to our teachers with respect and we were expected to pay attention in class. … Continue Reading