Queenstown Entertainment

The entertainment in Queenstown is mostly bar-orientated, and the bars are where sports extremists excitedly relay their day’s activities over a beer. There are scores of bars and restaurants in the city, many of which are cosy and tastefully decorated, creating a great atmosphere. Bars range from popular backpacker hangouts to local pubs and trendy wine bars. In addition, two small casinos and a massage parlour provide alternative venues.

Nightlife

There are more than 100 bars, pubs and cafés in this small city, and many of the downtown venues remain open until about 05:00; with some having 24-hour licences. These bars are lively just about every night of the year, with bungee jumpers, trekkers and bikers in the summer months and skiers and snowboarders in the winter. Simply head to the centre of the city for the liveliest drinking area, where you will find terrace cafés, bars and full-blown pubs.

Theatre and music

Queenstown is a drinker’s place, meaning not many people come here expecting the performing arts and there is no real venue at which to find a piece of nightly culture during your stay. There are, however, a growing number of bars-cum-live music establishments as well as several popular nightclubs. Chico's Restaurant & Bar is in a good location at The Mall and offers food, live entertainment and dancing, while The Edge Niteclub is another good venue.

Festivals

Numerous carnivals and festivals are staged in Queenstown and at nearby towns every year.  Many people will make an extra attempt to be here for the best of them. The following are the main festivals in the Queenstown area:

• Glenorchy Races features horse racing at the Glenorchy track, with many jockeys and horses from all over the South Island; bareback racing is also on the cards (January).
• The Arrowtown Autumn Festival in nearby Arrowtown celebrates the gold-mining era;  this is held just after Easter and into the autumn, with street entertainment and market days (April).
• The Queenstown Winter Festival is perhaps the biggest event of the festival calendar in Queenstown, with nine days of fun street entertainment as well as ski events and the Mardi Gras (July).
• The Spring Carnival is one for ski and snowboard junkies, with a number of snow-related sports and entertaining activities at the Remarkables Ski Resort (mid-September).
• The Queenstown Jazz Festival features 10 days of top jazz, with more than 100 musicians from all over the world. Gigs are held at dozens of venues at Queenstown and nearby Arrowtown, and there are also free workshops, themed events and ticketed concerts (October).