Grow to spring up again in 2022

Following huge success across the three days of the first-ever Grow Ōtautahi, event organisers have announced 2022 dates for the Christchurch garden festival.

Grow will return to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, with entry still free to everyone, over three days from 18 to 20 March 2022. 

Festival Director Sandi MacRae says excitement is already building around the 2022 festival, with sponsors and visitors to the 2021 event sharing their favourite parts of the show and coming up with new ideas for next year. 

“We were absolutely thrilled to welcome approximately 25,000 guests to the festival in March this year. It was a hugely positive experience and feedback has been so encouraging. We’re now in full planning mode, with the aim of bringing a bigger and better festival to the people of Christchurch. 

“We really want to build on the community, education and sustainability aspects of the show for 2022. Our visitors were a real cross-section of the local community and we want to encourage more schools and community groups to get involved.” 

A survey of visitors, sponsors and event partners was released earlier in May to gather feedback from those who were at Grow in 2021, find out what they loved most and what they’d like to see in future festivals. 

“The charitable Trust behind the festival has a long-term vision for Grow that aims to see us expand out into the central city using other venues and city restaurants to share what’s great about growing in Christchurch,” Sandi says. 

“We are so pleased to have Lincoln University back on-board as our presenting partner and we’re talking with them now about how we also expand the science and research aspects of the festival that were so popular this year. 

“And of course we’ll be bringing back the packed-out TerraViva workshops, Garden Kitchen demonstrations, and Kids’ Zone, along with all the other parts of the show that people enjoyed.” 

Keep an eye on the Grow website for more details as planning continues throughout the year.