Things to do  |  13h ago

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Anzac Day dawn services, the Super Round live site, and the City Nature Challenge are taking place this weekend.

Anzac Day Dawn Service at Cathedral Square

A dawn service in Cathedral Square will give Christchurch residents a chance to remember New Zealand’s fallen soldiers on Anzac Day. This year, for the fourth time since the 2011 earthquakes, we will be returning to Cathedral Square under the Citizen’s War Memorial. 

The commemorations that mark Australia and New Zealand’s Gallipoli campaign will begin at 6.15am when veterans and servicemen, active and retired, will gather at the Worcester Bridge and then parade the short distance to Cathedral Square for the traditional dawn service. 

The New Zealand Army Band will perform at the service, which will end with the playing of the Last Post, a minute’s silence, and then the singing of the New Zealand national anthem. Citizens War Memorial, 99 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central, starting at 6.15am on Saturday. Free to attend.

 

Super Round Live Site

Don’t have a ticket? You can still join in the fan fun and festivities of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific - Super Round in the streets of Christchurch, for free on a big screen! 

The Live Site will also host all 10 teams for signing sessions where fans can meet their heroes. It’s a great place both for fans who will be heading to the brand-new One New Zealand Stadium to catch the action live as well as for fans who will stay on and watch the matches on the big screen set up on the banks of the Avon Ōtākaro, just north of the Bridge of Remembrance.

Come early as the site is bound to fill up. Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Central City, from midday to 9:30pm, 23-26 April.

 

Whānau | wildlife | look and find!

Richmond Community Garden invites all nature-loving families to explore what's living in their garden, as part of the City Nature Challenge! Bring your bug-obsessed tamariki to explore and seek out what's living in the gardens.

Red Zone Rangers will help you find all the hidden, tiny things that make this space their home. The Christchurch City libraries outreach van will be there for nature-themed storytimes, books and large games.

Head to the Richmond Community Garden, 46A Vogel Street, Richmond on Saturday from 10am to 1pm, for free.


City Nature Challenge Bioblitz

Explore Brooker Forest with Kiwi Conservation Club using all your senses to spot, sniff out, feel and hear all the living things that surround us!

Bring a internet capable mobile device with iNaturalist installed and signed in or a digital camera; we will bring all the tools you need to discover what's living here, hiding in plain sight! Let’s see how much we can find in an hour and a half of nature spotting, sniffing, feeling and hearing.

Head to Brooker Forest on Saturday, from 10am to midday - it's free to join.

 

Mahoe Mini Bioblitz

Get ready for a family adventure! Join Canterbury Museum for a Mini Bioblitz! You'll be on the hunt for anything that flies, grows, crawls and hides.

Experts from Canterbury Museum will be joining us for the challenge, which takes place globally as people from all over the world look to see the diversity of life in our local areas.

Come along to Mahoe Reserve, 34 Boundary Road, Lincoln, on Sunday from 2-4pm, it's free to join.

 

Please note, other Anzac Day services are taking place around Christchurch on Saturday:

  • Heathcote: War Memorial (Martindale-Bridal Path-Flavell), 6.15am
  • Harewood: Harewood War Memorial, 721 Harewood Rd, 7am
  • Cashmere: 19th Battalion and Armoured Regiment Memorial Victoria Park, 8am
  • Riccarton: 20th Battalion Association, Jane Deans Close, 9am
  • Hornby: Hornby War Memorial, Hornby Primary School Ground, 190 Waterloo Rd, 9am
  • Halswell: War Memorial/Domain, 9am
  • Little River: Community Hall, 9.30am
  • Waltham: Waltham Park Memorial Gates, 9.30am
  • Ilam: University of Canterbury, Matariki Quad, 20 Kirkwood Ave, 10am
  • New Brighton: Cenotaph, Marine Parade, 10am
  • Lyttelton: War Memorial, Albion Square, 10am
  • Diamond Harbour: War Memorial Hall, 10.30am
  • Templeton: Templeton RSA, Banks Street, 11am
  • Aranui: St Ambrose Church, 11am
  • Sumner: RSA Memorial Gates, 11am
  • Akaroa: War Memorial, 11.30am
  • Wigram: Airforce Museum, 45 Harvard Avenue, midday
  • Belfast: War Memorial, Sheldon Park, 8.30am
  • Papanui: Papanui Club, 310 Sawyers Arms Road, 10am