Your guide to what’s on in Christchurch

Walk, run or fly into the school holidays weekend for an event-packed Walking Festival, the National Touch Championship or a display of electric aircraft.

The Walking Festival

The Walking Festival steps into action this weekend, with 50-plus walks on offer over the next few weeks.

You can “Walk a Mile in a Refugee’s Shoes” or “Discover Ashley River Rakahuri Estuary” on Saturday,  

For pooch lovers, the Dogs Day Out in the Red Zone is a firm favourite on Sunday. Explore the red zone around the Richmond loop, with heaps of dog-friendly vendors and activities dotted along the Ōtakaro Avon River Corridor.

Check out The Walking Festival guide online.

Take Charge Christchurch at Tūranga

Marvel at an all-electric, self-flying air taxi on display at Tūranga this weekend.

New Zealand’s first battery electric aircraft will also be on show at the Take Charge Christchurch event.

Organised by the Christchurch City Council, the two-day event is being held on the ground floor of Tūranga on 17 and 18 April to showcase the role of emerging battery electric aircraft technologies in the future of aviation and mobility.

You can also learn more at two public presentations – at 11am and 1pm – on Saturday. 

National Touch Championship at Ngā Puna Wai

Ngā Puna Wai hosts the Bunnings National Touch Championship for the first time this weekend.

With more than 70 teams in action over the four days, the national tournament will draw thousands of competitors – including past and present Touch Blacks – and supporters from across the country.

In total, 1200 players – with the youngest 16 – will contest the Under-21, Open or Masters titles.

Ground entry is free, with 13 fields in play, along with on-site food vendors and bouncy castles and face painting to entertain the younger spectators. 

The 10th Great Ōtākaro Avon River Walk

Learn more about your local river at The 10th Great Ōtākaro Avon River Walk on Saturday.

Walkers will leave from New Brighton Pier at 10am and follow the river to the Antigua Boat Sheds. Discover more about the history of the river, efforts to improve water quality and the impact of climate change. 

Christchurch Home Show 

Check out the Home Show at Christchurch Arena this weekend. Register online for free entry.

Quake City

Learn about the science behind earthquakes at Quake City in the central city.

Entry is half price for adults, seniors and students during the school holidays, with free entry for accompanied children aged under 15. Use LEGO to design new buildings, try to solve puzzles and jump on the spot to create a mini-quake for the seismograph to read. 

Explore Wild Ōtautahi in the Te Pito Huawera/Southbase Gallery at Tūranga.

Inspired by Gavin Bishop’s book, Wildlife of Aotearoa, the interactive free exhibition focuses on the wildlife habitats of our city.

You can also take the kids on a wildlife treasure hunt exploring the central city. From Tūranga and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū to the Botanic Gardens and Canterbury Museum, the Ōtautahi Go Wild map takes youngsters on a journey of discovery. The maps are also available at the four exploration places. 

The NZ String Quartet, Four Suits and a Soprano

From operatic classics to pop, performers Ipu Laga’aia, Chris McRae, Sophie Morris, Rutene Spooner and Laughton Kora join forces with The New Zealand String Quartet for an entertaining Sunday at the Christchurch Town Hall. Book tickets online. 

Hakē: Street Art Revealed

Rediscover street art in Canterbury Museum this weekend.

Artist Benjamin Work will create a floor-to-wall mural influenced by the patterning of Tongan ‘Akau tau (war clubs).

Popular pieces from the Rise exhibition, celebrating the emergence of urban art, will also be on show. 

You can find out about other events happening in and around Christchurch via the What’s On webpages.