Wao Summit organisers say this year’s festival - while not quite over yet - was another success.

Between October 24 and 29, more than 40 events, workshops, films, pop-ups and tours took place, all with the shared goal of creating social and environmental change.

Events covered everything from reducing waste in the building sector, ‘living lightly’ at home, regenerative tourism, sustainability in business, and resilience against natural disasters.

Wao communications director Arna Craig told the Wānaka App more than 1,000 people took part in this year’s summit.

“The level of engagement across the region is a sure sign that climate change is at the forefront of our communities' thoughts.”

Highlights included an educational visit to a local farm to learn about their regenerative planting, numerous lecture series and WAO workshops hosted at Mitre 10 MEGA Wānaka.

Mitre 10 national sustainability manager Julie Roberts said the workshops provided an opportunity to share the store’s new post-purchase packaging recycling station.

The new recycling station at Mitre 10.

In addition to the pot, polystyrene and cardboard collections that were already available, the new station in the store foyer is also a recycle drop off point for hard plastic, light bulbs and batteries, she said.

The last two events as part of the Wao Summit will take place today (Saturday November 24) in Glenorchy. 

They include a screening of ‘Greenhouse’, which follows one man’s journey to build a completely waste-free house that also provides food for its residents, and a Sustainable Communities tour of the township, which highlights local environmental initiatives. 

Anyone who wasn’t able to make it along in person can still access the summit’s top talks for the next 30 days with the Wao online pass.

PHOTOS: Supplied