Beat the cabin fever this August - Visa WOAP for the whole whānau

July 3, 2019

Winter can be punishing with little ones. Don’t fret! This year's Visa WOAP events programme has enough to save you from those wet weekends and get the fam out of the house for a delicious day out.

Here are seven family-friendly Festival Events and pop-ups guaranteed to keep the kids happy (and the adults even happier).

• Get hands-on

Let’s be honest, making pizza at home with the kids sounds like a great activity on a rainy day, but the clean up can be a nightmare. Flour. Everywhere. Head to the Family Feastival at The Gardens in Alicetown for pizza making masterclasses, hot wings eating contests and tons more activities for kids and families. This is an all-day, free entry culinary experience for all ages.

• Crochet meets cuisine

Aussie Instagram sensation, Chili Philly (@chiliphilly) a.k.a. Phil Ferguson, brings his crocheted catalogue of culinary-inspired headwear and outfits to Wellington for No Way Crochet. From sushi to cereal, pavs to pizzas, tacos to teabags, the little ones will love perusing these oversized, wearable foodie masterpieces. 

Chili Philly’s crafty masterpieces will be on display at Te Auaha on Dixon St, including a specially commissioned Visa Welly On a Plate piece… free entry from Monday 26 August.

• Mac ‘n’ cheese on wheels

Who doesn’t love mac ‘n’ cheese? Track down Roco’s Stinky Mac ‘N’ Cheese trailer via their Facebook page during Visa WOAP. Load the kids up on the good stuff and soon they’ll be snoozing in the back of the car in a mac ‘n’ cheese induced food coma.

• Picnic indoors

Sometimes little critters are a perfect picnic companion. Take an evening out at Expressions Whirinaki at The Backyard Picnic, pick up your very own basket filled with handcrafted artisan food including Kāpiti cheese, handmade chocolates, kale, prosciutto and blue cheese tartlet. Select your backyard BBQ classics, then unplug, unwind and enjoy an indoor picnic, in winter ... insects included (but leave the mozzie spray at home, these bugs are just for looking at).

• Get hands-on, the sweet version

Making gelato at home with the kids? Looks idyllic on Instagram but we all know there’s no filter that will make that job look tidy. Head to It's a Sweet Life at Carello del Gelato where they’ll make their own authentic gelato. And the best bit? You don’t have to do the cleanup!

This is a kids only event - parents, you’ll just have to watch from the sidelines. If you’re lucky, there might be a taster at the end.

• For kids of all ages

Remember fairy bread, creaming soda, Mr Whippy ice cream? The team at Six Barrel Soda Co are reinventing the classics at Nostalgia, Refreshed, a fun, relaxed family afternoon out at the Visa Festival Hub. Think modern takes on old school party classics like fairy bread made with Wellington Sourdough bread, ice-cream floats with Wooden Spoon Boutique Freezery and cola but served on nitro by the boys at Crocky’s Cold Brew. Expect a huge lolly scramble packed with Whittaker's chocolate and maybe even a pass the parcel… if you’re well behaved.

• Feast the senses

Round up the tribe and head to The Thistle Inn for Overloaded - A Family Affair. With five zones this will be a feast for big and little eyes, exploring new senses for some with a must touch policy. Have you ever been in a bubble? Touched a moving squirming thing? Are you brave enough to put your bare hand in a dark hole while munching on tasty morsels along the way?

There are loads more events to keep your small humans busy during Visa WOAP. But let’s not forget about you wonderful parents out there. You need a bit of downtime! So book the baby sitter and head out for something special this August.