Weekend events highlight city's diversity

Our city's growing diversity will be on show over the next couple of days as the city plays host to the Holi Festival of Colours, Polyfest Canterbury, and Christchurch Pride Week events.

Christchurch Holi Festival of Colours

Get your weekend off to a colourful start.

The biggest and brightest colour festival Christchurch has ever seen is on in North Hagley Park this Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

The Christchurch Holi Festival of Colours is your chance to throw colours, dance to music and celebrate the Indian culture. Make sure you wear old clothes because the colour may not wash out.

There will be traditional Indian games you can join in - including Matki Phod, where competitors build human pyramids to reach a hanging pot of coloured yoghurt – and an Indian-themed photo booth with colourful props.  There will also be lots of activities for the kids.

Entry to the festival is free, but bring cash to buy colours and enjoy delicious Holi food.

The Star City2Surf

Put your comfy shoes on and join in one of Christchurch’s most popular fun run/walks – the Star City2Surf.  

The event kicks off at 9am on Sunday and you can chose whether you walk or run the full 14km course or the shorter 6km course.  The 14km course starts at Pioneer Stadium’s Centennial Park while the 6km course starts at Hansens Park, Opawa.

Both courses follow the Heathcote River and finish at the Ferrymead playing fields, where there will be live music and children’s entertainment.

Polyfest is a celebration of Pacific Island cultures.

Linwood Youth Festival Experience

Come down to Linwood Park and get among this tropical themed party celebrating youth pride, community, and diversity in Linwood. It will be a fun-filled night with amazing performances, epic food stalls, heaps of activities, and loads of stalls.  The Linwood Youth Festival Experience is on from 4 to 8pm and is an alcohol and smoke-free event.

Polyfest

Head along to Polyfest and support secondary school students from throughout Canterbury as they showcase their Polynesian culture with cultural performances, song and dance.  The festival is being held at the corner of New Brighton Road and Locksley Avenue from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday and admission is free. 

Open Air Cinema

Enjoy a movie under the stars at the American Express Open Air Cinema in Rauora Park (corner Lichfield and Madras streets).

This weekend’s line-up of movies begins with Pitch Perfect 3 tonight, Paddington 2 tomorrow night, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle on Sunday night.  The gates open at 6pm but the movies won’t start till the sun sets.  Capacity is limited so book ahead online at openaircinemas.co.nz.

Duke Festival of Surfing

Catch some of the best surfers in New Zealand in action at the Ray White New Brighton Duke Festival of Surfing this weekend.

The surfers will be competing between 7.30am and 4.30pm Saturday and Sunday in age group and premier divisions so come along and watch the thrills and the spills.

Christchurch Pride Week

Christchurch Pride Week is an annual event aimed at bringing together the diverse groups within the city’s larger LGBTIA+ rainbow whanau. Check out what events are on over the weekend at Christchurch Pride.

Other events

To find out about other events happening in and around Christchurch, check out the events pages on the Council website.