Painting the sky with colour at Kite Day

The skies above New Brighton beach will be filled with colourful, fluttering kites on Saturday 24 January.

The annual Kite Day event attracts hundreds of visitors to the seaside suburb to fly kites large and small from all over the world.

“Gather up your kites and join in the kite-flying fun or watch as the experts show off their skills flying large groups of kites all together.

“It’s open to anyone and that’s one of the wonderful things about this event, it’s not just for the experts, anyone can participate and have a go,” says Christchurch City Council Events and Arts Manager Lucy Blackmore.

“There’s always an amazing array of shapes and sizes, from 3D dragons and cartoon characters to the classic diamond and delta wing shapes.

“Children and parents can enjoy viewing the sky-high displays while also having fun with other seaside themed activities like swimming, sandcastle building and picnicking," says Ms Blackmore.

“To make a day of it, check out the many local eateries and shops in New Brighton. For those after a sweet, summer treat, an ice cream vendor will be stationed at the South Ramp Car Park, where kite stalls will also be on hand."

Kite Day will be held on Saturday 24 January 2026, from 12-4pm, with the event hub at the car park south of the New Brighton Pier and the adjacent beach front.

Kite Day is the final event in the Council’s summer programme, which also includes NYE25 and NYE Kids Countdown, Mitre10 Sparks, Anthony Harper Summer Theatre and Summer Sundays.

You can find out more about all these events at What’s On.