Cambridge has always been the type of town that brings people together.

Formed as a camp for British soldiers during the Invasion of Waikato in 1864, it quickly became a thriving market town when the Lands Wars finished. Settler farmers would head into the town for provisions and it became a logical place for people to meet, connected by the Waikato River, early roads and before long, the main North Island railway.

Come Home to Cambridge, we are the host for major regional and national events and are used to providing accommodation for one or two to many hundreds of guests at a time.

The town's central location means many visitors choose to stay in or near Cambridge for events such as National Fieldays, major rowing regattas on Lake Karapiro and other big sports events.

Cambridge and its surrounding rural area is often called the Equine Capital of New Zealand - and not without good reason.

Some of the world's best racehorses have been bred here while many thoroughbred (gallops) and standardbred (harness racing) trainers are based in the district.

Come Home to Cambridge, we are one of the North Island's most popular destinations for events and functions.

Not only is the town a beautiful place to spend time with friends or business colleagues, it also provides all the modern facilities and services required for a successful event.

The success of the Oscar-winning film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings (LOTR), has helped attract thousands of visitors to the Hobbiton movie set, near Cambridge.

Scenes from the LOTR series and Sir Peter Jackson's Hobbit movies were shot on a farm at Hinuera, just 21.5km and 18 minutes' drive from Cambridge.

Here's how to book your visit to New Zealand's biggest agricultural event and plan to have a great time during your stay.

Cambridge is the ideal place to stay while you attend the National Agricultural Fieldays at nearby Mystery Creek. Here's how to get the most from your Fieldays trip:

1. Book your accommodation

Cambridge is only a 17–minute drive from Mystery Creek, making it easy to get to and from Fieldays, and putting you in the middle of Waikato's rural heartland. Our town has eight motels and about 75 bed and breakfasts, ensuring you'll get a good night's sleep away from home.

2. Enjoy your evenings

Cambridge has a range of bars, cafes and restaurants with something to suit everyone. For food, we've got everything from takeaways to stylish restaurants.

3. Feel the Fieldays spirit

Cambridge residents get right into the Fieldays spirit and local businesses take part in the Big Little Town competition in which retailers make window displays with rural themes and other businesses find clever ways to incorporate Fieldays into their products and services.

4. Dogs and horses

Cambridge is known as the equine capital of New Zealand, and with good reason. Visit a local horse stud or the dawn gallops at the Cambridge training track. On Day 2 of Fieldays (Thursday, June 13), the greyhounds race at Cambridge Raceway.

5. Plenty for partners

If your partners are looking for things to do while you're at Fieldays, they need not worry — Cambridge is a great place to spend a relaxing few days checking out the local shops and cafes, or taking mini–trips to attractions.

These include Hobbiton (18 minute drive), where you can enjoy a tour of where Sir Peter Jackson filmed parts of his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies, or the Waitomo Caves, less than an hour away.

6. Get on the water

With Lake Karapiro and the mighty Waikato River on your doorstep, there are plenty of activities to choose from. You can water ski, row or paddle in a canoe or kayak. Or you can fish for trout in the lake or nearby streams, or take a jet boat up the river.

7. Check out nature

Go for a ramble at nearby Sanctuary Mountain, a fenced nature reserve at Maungatautari, or the Maungakawa Scenic Reserve. More details and directions are at www.cambridge.co.nz.

8. Tee up a round of golf

More than 40 golf clubs are within 45 minutes of Cambridge, giving you the chance of a challenging round or a gentle stroll in the clean Waikato air. We can help you choose and book the right course for you.

9. Time to chill out

Why rush on the last day of Fieldays? Take a relaxed approach as the event goes into its final day — so go for a wander at the Cambridge Farmer's Market at Victoria Square in the centre of town, followed by a coffee and slap–up breakfast at one of our cafes.