16 Feb 2024

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Revel in the kaleidoscope of cultures right in your own back yard with Christchurch’s biggest multicultural event.

Culture Galore is back for 2024 for a day of global festivities at Ray Blank Park from 12 – 4pm on Saturday 17 February.

“This event is the perfect platform to bring all parts of the world together and celebrate Christchurch’s diversity,” says Head of Community Support and Partnerships, John Filsell.

“We know how much the community looks forward to this event, and the team have been working hard to put on an incredible display of the sights, sounds and tastes of Christchurch’s multicultural community.”

Supported by the Waimāero Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood and Waipuna Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Boards, Culture Galore promises an immersive experience with free entry and activities.

This year boasts twenty-one new groups, joining the eighty-six in total to celebrate Christchurch’s rich and diverse ethnic culture.

Culture Galore will be at Ray Blank Park, Ilam.

“We see popularity in this event grow each year which certainly highlights the success of the entertaining multicultural festival,” says Mr Filsell.

“We’re expecting at least 5,000 attendees at our 2024 Culture Galore, which shows how much the open-air festival has grown since it was first held in 2001.”

Highlights include Japanese drummers, colourful traditional dances and performances from Indonesia, Korea, Sri Lanka, China, Fiji, Bangladesh and more.

Families can get involved in a huge range of have-a-go activities, including flax weaving, face painting, soft archery and bouncy castles.

“Plus, you can also sample some of the appetising ethnic cuisines from over forty food stalls,” says Mr Filsell.

Not just a feast for the senses, Culture Galore is committed to sustainability, following the Compostable Food Packaging at Events (CFPE) initiative where all food vendors use only biodegradable, organic food packaging as a way to divert as much waste as possible away from landfill.

This initiative has been successful in previous years with 96% of waste from the 2023 event diverted from landfill.

Come along to Culture Galore 2024 and be part of this vibrant celebration of unity, diversity and community spirit.