Bay of Islands Jazz & Blues Festival

One of New Zealand's longest-running music festivals takes over the neighbouring towns of Paihia and Russell in the Bay of Islands every mid-August. Spread across venues on both sides of the bay, including Russell's historic Duke of Marlborough Hotel and the Nauti Penguin, it pairs traditional jazz with contemporary interpretations, while the blues program ranges from Delta-influenced acoustic sets to electric blues rock. The ferry crossing between Paihia and Russell, one of the country's oldest ferry routes, doubles as a music venue for the weekend.