Fiordland's Te Anau and Manapouri communities are set to mark this year's Waitangi Day with a week-long programme of music, dance, sailing, exhibitions and workshops.

Te Anau Waitangi Charitable Trust Chair Jill Mitchell-Larivee said the festival's theme for 2023 is 'Journeys', and our festival programme is centred on He Huarahi o te Rua o te Moko or Fiordland Pathways.

She said she was also thrilled to welcome renowned sand artist Marcus 'The Sandman' Winter to the south, after having to postpone several times over the last two years.

Photo: Supplied

Winter will also be teaming up with taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments) player Jake Kīanō Skinner, for a special performance for Te Anau-Manapouri basin students, on the 5th February at Fiordland College.

Other headline acts include Country and folk music duet The Mitchell Twins, multi-instrumentalist Jake Kīanō Skinner and Ngā Herenga Waka Kapa Haka.

The week long festival, organised in partnership with Ngā Herenga Waka Kapa Haka, runs from 1-6 February and will include kapa haka and performance art, waka ama and waka sailing, a multi-media art exhibition, Human Library session, workshops and local history with Kāi Tahu historian, Ron Bull.

Children’s activities are also planned with opportunities to build and float model waka and a StoryWalk in the Te Anau Memorial Garden. 

A full festival programme is available at teanauwaitangiday.co.nz and while there is no cost for a ticket, several events require bookings due to the capacity of different venues.