Lake Tekapo turned on the charm for its Winter Wonderland Festival over the weekend, with snow, lights, and events bringing the alpine village to life.

On Friday night, Tekapo Springs hosted a market surrounded by fresh snow, where families enjoyed hot drinks, and the ever-popular snow tube ride.

With the mountains glowing under clear skies, it was the perfect setting to kick off the festivities.

Saturday saw the town square come alive with its own market during the day, as visitors browsed handmade crafts, winter treats, and enjoyed the crisp high country air.

On Sunday, the brave and the slightly mad took part in the mid-winter swim, plunging into the icy lake waters to wrap up the festival with plenty of cheers, shivers, and laughs.

With a thick snow cover adding to the magic, this year’s Winter Wonderland Festival showed exactly why Lake Tekapo is home to one of New Zealand’s most spectacular winter celebrations.