Choosing between the best event venues in Whanganui comes down to matching the room to the occasion, whether that is a 500 seat awards dinner, a 20 person board meeting or a stage show with full lighting and sound. The event venues in Whanganui below cover purpose built function rooms, riverside conference spaces, a motel conference room, a historic civic hall and a working Victorian theatre, with bar service, in house catering and audio visual gear available at most of them. The Wanganui Function Centre out at the racecourse and Anndion Lodge on Anzac Parade are a sensible place to start.
1Wanganui Function Centre
The Wanganui Function Centre is based at the racecourse on Purnell Street and is run by the Wanganui Jockey Club, with six hireable rooms ranging from a small space for 40 to 50 people up to a lounge seating 500 at tables. Every room has bar facilities and access for those with mobility issues, and the centre is a licensed premises where no BYO is allowed. It handles conferences, meetings, birthday celebrations, funerals, weddings and larger community events, with parking on site.
Services
- Conference and meeting room hire
- Birthday, anniversary and wedding function hire
- Funeral and memorial gatherings
- Large community event hire
- Licensed bar service in every room
Highlights
- Six rooms in one complex, from the Brent Thomson room for 40 to 50 people up to the Eulogy Lounge at 500 seated
- Eulogy Lounge has a large stage for presentations or live entertainment and an outside balcony facing Purnell Street
- Wanganui Room seats 220 with racetrack views and an outdoor terrace, and can be sectioned off for smaller functions
- Celebrity Lounge runs over three levels with grandstand access and toilets on the mezzanine
- Hire charges, an application form and a list of caterers are all published as downloads
Location & Contact
Name: Wanganui Function Centre
Address: 19A Purnell Street, Whanganui
Phone: 027 223 4290
Website: wjc.co.nz/function-centre
2Anndion Lodge Motel & Function Centre
Anndion Lodge is a motel and function centre on the banks of the Whanganui River at 143 to 145 Anzac Parade, about five minutes from the Whanganui CBD. The private function room suits birthdays, engagements, 21sts, anniversaries and end of year school or sporting celebrations, while the conference room can be booked as a day venue on its own or combined with accommodation on site. Catering is handled in house and there is a licensed restaurant on the property.
Services
- Private function room hire for parties and celebrations
- Conference room hire at a published day rate
- Full on site catering, including a conference finger food menu
- Licensed restaurant and bar for function guests
- Lodge rooms, ensuite studios and family suites for guests staying over
Highlights
- Riverside location with river views and ample off street parking
- Conference room hire at $250 per day, with chilled filtered water provided
- Room layouts for classroom of 16, boardroom of 20, U shape of 18, and long table or cafe style of 36
- Whiteboard on easel, projector screen and flip chart stand included, with other equipment available on request
Location & Contact
Name: Anndion Lodge Motel & Function Centre
Address: 143-145 Anzac Parade, Whanganui
Phone: 06 343 3593
Website: anndionlodge.co.nz
3The Cobb Whanganui
The Cobb Whanganui is a bar, restaurant and hotel at 45 Anzac Parade with function rooms overlooking the Whanganui River. Room hireage is free, and the venue splits into meeting rooms for corporate and client sessions, dining rooms for buffet dinners with large groups, and a private bar for birthdays and celebrations. It is part of the George Hospitality Group, which also runs a Cobb in Palmerston North.
Services
- Free function room hireage for celebrations and meetings
- Corporate, staff and client meeting rooms
- Dining rooms set for buffet dinners with large groups
- Private bar hire for birthday parties and celebrations
- Platters, grazing boards, bar snacks and full buffet catering
Highlights
- Function rooms look out over the Whanganui River
- Sound system, music and DJ lights available, plus a plasma television for slideshows and presentations
- Security staff on site, with platters from $50 and a buffet menu from $50 per person, or $25 for children 12 and under
Location & Contact
Name: The Cobb Whanganui
Address: 45 Anzac Parade, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 348 4080
Website: thecobbhotel.co.nz/functions–whanganui
4151 on London
151 on London is a motel and conference venue at 151 London Street, a short walk from the Whanganui town centre. The conference room takes 2 to 70 people and can be set boardroom style, u-shape or theatre style on rectangle tables, with corporate accommodation rates available in conjunction with a conference booking. Hosted by Ross Baker and Rolla Tu, it handles board meetings, seminars, interviews, reunions, craft groups and club nights as well as full conferences.
Services
- Conference and seminar room hire for 2 to 70 people
- Board meeting and interview room hire
- Function hire for reunions, craft groups, clubs and baby showers
- Corporate accommodation rates in conjunction with conference hire
- Photocopying service for conference guests
Highlights
- Seating options include boardroom style, u-shape and theatre style
- Projector and screen, DVD player and television, plus a flipchart and whiteboard
- Kitchenette with fridge and small commercial oven, with out catering and self catering both accepted
- Ultrafast broadband with multiple user capability, heat pumps and air conditioning, and off street parking
Location & Contact
Name: 151 on London
Address: 151 London Street, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 345 8668
Website: 151onlondon.co.nz/conferences.htm
5Whanganui Venues & Events
Whanganui Venues and Events is the Whanganui District Council team that runs the city’s three public venues: the Royal Whanganui Opera House at 69 St Hill Street, a Victorian theatre standing since February 1900, the Whanganui War Memorial Centre at 2 Watt Street, and the Cooks Gardens Events Centre on Maria Place Extension. Between them the spaces run from a 10 person workshop to a 1500 capacity concert, and all three are booked through the same team on one phone number and one online request form. These are council facilities rather than commercial operators, so hire is arranged through a booking request, and the team also assists with AV equipment, furniture and room setup.
Services
- Opera House auditorium and stage hire for performances, graduations and school productions
- War Memorial Centre Main Hall hire for conferences, award ceremonies, balls, exhibitions and wedding receptions
- Concert Chamber and Pioneer Room hire for concerts, presentations, meetings and workshops
- Cooks Gardens Events Centre hire for sporting events, conferences, meetings and weddings
- Technical hire covering AV equipment, furniture and room setup
Highlights
- Opera House auditorium has contemporary tiered seating for 800 over two levels, with the option to open the stalls only
- War Memorial Centre Main Hall covers 1056 square metres, arranged for up to 900 theatre style, 1500 for a concert or 500 for a formal dinner, and has a sprung dance floor
- Concert Chamber has fixed tiered seating, an open stage and a Steinway grand piano that can be rented as part of venue hire
- Pioneer Room takes 10 to 120 people, with floor to ceiling windows and kitchen access to a commercial oven, dishwasher and chiller
- Upstairs areas at the Opera House are reached by stairs only, as there are no lift facilities at that venue
Location & Contact
Name: Whanganui Venues & Events
Address: 69 St Hill Street, 2 Watt Street and Maria Place Extension, Whanganui
Phone: 06 349 0513
Website: whanganuivenues.co.nz
Event Venues in Whanganui at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Wanganui Function Centre | Six rooms in one complex, from the Brent Thomson room for 40 to 50 pe... |
| Anndion Lodge Motel & Function Centre | Riverside location with river views and ample off street parking |
| The Cobb Whanganui | Function rooms look out over the Whanganui River |
| 151 on London | Seating options include boardroom style, u-shape and theatre style |
| Whanganui Venues & Events | Opera House auditorium has contemporary tiered seating for 800 over t... |
How to Choose the Right Event Venue in Whanganui
- Work from your seated headcount, not the standing one. A room that takes 200 for a cocktail function may only seat 80 at round tables, so ask for a layout plan before you commit.
- Check the licensing position early. A licensed venue will usually run its own bar and may not permit BYO at all, which changes your drinks budget completely.
- Ask how catering works. Some venues cook in house, some hand you an approved caterers list, and some give you access to a kitchen and leave the rest to you.
- Confirm exactly what the hire fee covers. Tables, chairs, linen, a projector, a sound system and a technician’s time are sometimes bundled and sometimes charged separately.
- Walk the route your guests will walk. Parking, step free access, the distance to the nearest toilets and whether upstairs spaces have a lift all matter more than the photographs suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whanganui Event Venues
How much does it cost to hire an event venue in Whanganui?
It ranges widely. Some hospitality venues waive room hire altogether and make their margin on food and drink, a dedicated conference room typically runs to a few hundred dollars a day, and a large hall or theatre with technical staff costs more again. Catering is almost always quoted separately, usually per head. Ask for a written quote that splits room hire, catering, staffing and equipment so you can compare venues on the same basis.
How far ahead should I book?
For a wedding, a ball, a conference or a school production, six to twelve months is normal, because the larger halls and the theatre fill up around graduations, race meetings and the summer wedding season. A small meeting room or a private bar area can often be held with a few weeks’ notice. Most venues take a deposit to confirm the date, and that deposit is commonly credited towards your final spend.
Can I bring my own alcohol or my own caterer?
That depends entirely on the venue. Licensed premises generally run their own bar and do not allow BYO, while some hall style venues let you arrange your own drinks so long as the right licence is in place. If you plan to sell alcohol or run a ticketed public event you will normally need a special licence, which is issued locally by Whanganui District Council, so allow time for the application.
Which parts of the city are the main venues in?
Most event venues in Whanganui are either in the central city or a few minutes’ drive along the river. Watt Street and St Hill Street put you in the Pukenamu Queen’s Park and CBD area, within walking distance of cafes, hotels and the i-SITE. Anzac Parade runs along the river a short drive from the town centre, while London Street and Purnell Street sit close to the middle of town with plenty of parking.
Can I hire a single room, or do I have to take the whole building?
Single rooms are the norm. Several Whanganui complexes hire spaces individually and will also quote for the entire building if you want exclusive use. Larger halls can usually be divided with screens or drapes, which helps if you want a separate area for pre dinner drinks, a breakout session or a quiet room away from the music.
Do venues supply audio visual equipment?
Basic gear is commonly included. Whiteboards, flip charts, a projector screen and a house sound system often come with the room, while stage lighting, radio microphones, a grand piano or a technician’s time are usually charged on top. If your event depends on a slideshow or a live stream, confirm the screen size and the internet connection in writing rather than assuming.
Are Whanganui venues accessible for guests with limited mobility?
Many are, but check room by room rather than building by building. Some venues advertise access to every function room, while older buildings can have upstairs spaces reachable only by stairs with no lift. Ask about the route from the car park to the room, whether there are steps at the entrance, and where the nearest accessible toilet is.
What should I confirm before signing the hire agreement?
Get the capacity figure for your actual seating plan, then pin down your access time for setting up and the time everything has to be out. Ask whether a noise restriction applies, who is responsible for cleaning and rubbish, what the cancellation terms are, and whether you need public liability cover. Getting those in writing avoids most of the arguments that happen on the day.
How We Chose the Best Event Venues in Whanganui
Every business in this guide was found by searching for event venues in Whanganui, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Whanganui, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.