Things to do  |  Yesterday

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Grab the whānau (and your brolly) and check out what's on in Christchurch this weekend.

Kite Day 2026

Round up your kites for Kite Day 2026! A busy, colourful and creative display of sky-high creatures, cartoons and shapes for all ages to enjoy. Bring your friends and whānau along for some kite-flying fun or watch the experts show their skills and impressive collections as they fly large groups of kites all at once.

It’s also the perfect opportunity for beach activities like swimming, sandcastle building and picnicking. To make a day of it, check out the many local eateries and shops in New Brighton. Head down to New Brighton Pier to check it out from midday to 3pm Saturday.  

World Buskers Festival

The World Buskers Festival is back this month, bringing wild, world-class street performances to Christchurch. More than 240 free street performances and 25 ticketed shows will be on in the heart of Ōtautahi between 23 January – 1 February, as buskers from 12 countries descend on the city for the 33rd World Buskers Festivals.

While most events are free and along the street, ticketed events boast a highly curated selection of circus cabaret, dace, drag, comedy and theatre, hosted in some of the city’s most revered theatre venues – and are perfect for the wet weather! Check out the full programme. 

Get Curious!

Experience the weird and the wonderful with Get Curious! at the Canterbury Museum Pop-Up. Touch and explore a variety of fascinating objects, meet live stick insects and unearth replica dino bones in our dig pit. Try on a pair of reindeer-fur gloves made for the Antarctic, guess the purpose of the mysterious object from the Museum collection and hold real fossils.

Head along to the Canterbury Museum Pop-Up at 66 Gloucester Street until 4 February to check it out.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

Percy Jackson: teenager, son... and half-blood? There's trouble in Olympus, Zeus' master lightning bolt has vanished and Percy is marked as the prime suspect. On his quest to prove his innocence, he makes new friends, slays monsters, and comes to terms with his new reality at Camp Half Blood.

The feel-good, family musical, The Lightning Thief, has been created in collaboration with a cast of young people from across Ōtautahi Christchurch. Head along to Wairarapa Cobham Intermediate School at 6.30pm Friday, 1pm or 6.30pm Saturday, or 1pm Sunday to check it out. Book online, please note tickets cost $15.

Youth Aerials Trial Classes

Build confidence, have fun and fly for the first time at Altitude’s Youth Aerials Trial Class on Saturday. These beginner-friendly classes are designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of sling in a safe, supportive, and encouraging environment, while building strength, confidence, and coordination.

Come along to 491 St Asaph St from 9.30am – 10.20am Saturday to check it out. Please note sessions cost $20.

Public Backstage Tours | The Court Theatre

Step behind the curtain and discover how the magic is made at The Court Theatre. From the first sketch to the final spotlight, everything that appears on stage is carefully designed and lovingly crafted to transport our audiences into entirely new worlds.

A Friend of The Court Theatre will host your tour, sharing stories of past productions and giving you a real taste of what goes on behind the scenes at the South Island's largest theatre company. Book now from $10 for the session at 2pm Saturday.

Scared Scriptless

Make your way to the Court Theatre on Friday evening for the longest-running comedy show in Australasia, Scared Scriptless. Take one masterful MC, add an accomplished pianist, throw in a handful of the funniest actors in the country, throw out the script so nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen, and you have a recipe for next-level, late-night laughter!

On from 9pm Friday and Saturday from $20.