From September to November, New Zealand is in the grips of festival fever. There are food festivals, jazz festivals and flower festivals. Art is in the air, horses are on the track and newly released wines are in the glass. Find a spring event that appeals, then slip it into your itinerary to create a holiday high point.

September is simply sensational

Springs crispest month is bursting with energy. If your fitness levels extend beyond a gentle hike in the hills, you might want to sign up for the Abel Tasman Coastal Classic - a 32 kilometre race along the famed Abel Tasman Coastal Track. In one day you'll run through a week's worth of astounding scenery - non-stop views of perfect beaches and thriving native forest. Spectators can easily keep an eye on runners' progress from a water taxi or kayak.

September's the time for blossom festivals in Hastings and Alexandra, two of New Zealand's fruit-growing centres. And in Wellington creativity is blooming on stage with the Montana World of Wearable Art™ - an unforgettable montage of theatre, dance, colour movement and art. From Wellington you can easily expand your itinerary with a few days in the Blenheim region - winery restaurants and boutique lodges are ready and waiting, all equipped with mouth-watering spring menus.

A glamorous mix of models, makeup, music and famous faces, Air New Zealand Fashion Week is Auckland's September highlight. This stylish catwalk event is a chance to discover the country's most innovative fashion designers.

An absolutely awesome October

By the time October rolls around, spring is in full stride. Art, music and food are top of mind for the country's event organisers. Early in the month, you can celebrate all things oceanic at the Kaikoura Seafest - a light-hearted frenzy of seafood and sea fun. This region is the place for whale, dolphin and fur seal watching. Close by are the Waipara wine valley and the hot-pool relaxations of Hanmer Springs.

Further south, Otago Festival of the Arts kicks into a two-week programme of music, theatre and dance. Cultural activities can be easily combined with wildlife experiences on the Otago Peninsula - spy on penguins and albatrosses as they go about their daily lives.

The entertainment continues with the Nelson Arts Festival, where highlights will include Joe Bennett's circus comedy 'The Butler', flamenco dancing and international shows including the Tricicle from Spain. On at the same time is the Queenstown Jazz Festival, which encompasses concerts, themed events, loads of free gigs and workshops by leading jazz exponents.

The spectacular alpine scenery around Lake Wakatipu is all the more attractive with an accompaniment of great music.

Queenstown's best spring adventures include lake cruises, jet boat safaris, canyon swinging and river rafting, depending on your preferred level of excitement.

Never a dull moment in November

As summer approaches, nature is really getting into gear. In the bountiful Bay of Plenty, Bayleys Garden and Artfest gives you the chance to enjoy more than 100 private gardens and art stops. From huge country estates through to picture-perfect urban courtyards, every avenue of cultivated beauty is fully explored. Just next door to the Bay of Plenty are the volcanic regions of Rotorua and Taupo, where you can discover boiling mud pools, geysers, steaming silica terraces and simmering craters. Spring showers keep the geothermal areas sizzling with excitement.

One of our most acclaimed food and wine events happens in the middle of November. Toast Martinborough is a one-day degustation celebration with a fabulous live music soundtrack. Participating vineyards match new and limited release wines to culinary delights from top restaurants. You can stroll easily between winery venues or catch a ride on the free buses which circulate constantly. Located in the Wairarapa region, Martinborough is one of several historic villages that will keep you enchanted with heritage accommodation, boutiques, restaurants, gardens and museums.

In New Zealand, summer officially starts when the pohutukawa trees blossom. On the Coromandel Peninsula, this crimson-flowered event is marked with a two-week Pohutukawa Festival that includes parties, treasure hunts, walks, café crawls, concerts, poetry reading, art exhibitions and craft markets. It's all guaranteed to put a spring in your step!

- Tourism New Zealand