Wacky Winter Stunts

Queenstown’s Winter Festival hits the southern town for the 35th year this June with an estimated 6, revellers expected to attend the week-long festivities. While there are big-ticket items — free concerts (Dragon headline the Mardi Gras event this year), a masquerade ball, a comedy gala (last year Flight of the Conchords’ Rhys Darby performed) — there are also smaller elements that allow locals and tourists and opportunity to participate, rather than just spectate. The ski resorts also get in on the festival action, hosting night skiing, retro-skiing (where skiers are encouraged to go old-school in both clothing and equipment) and the rather crazy ‘Mountain bikes on snow’ event, which is as ludicrous as it sounds.