The event hub will be at Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre, but works will also be positioned along Worcester Boulevard, at Riverside Market and at Te Pae by the Ōtakaro Avon River.

The free, cultural festival produced by Christchurch City Council, brings together an array of artistic, lighting and cultural displays, including performances and storytelling.

Come into the city with friends and whānau to discover the trail of illuminated artworks, projections, music soundscapes and interactive installations. Tīrama Mai will feature a combo of all-new works and crowd-pleasers from the last couple of years.

On opening night enjoy kapa haka performances at The Art Centre in the North Quad.

Map

Check out all the installations and activations below or download the map [JPG, 203 KB].

Performance schedule and storytelling

There’ll be live storytelling sessions alongside kapa haka between 6.00pm and 8pm on the following dates under the canopy next to Altiora:

  • Thursday 27 June
  • Friday 28 June
  •  Saturday 29 June

Giveaways

Trees for Canterbury Giveaway

Plant a tree this Matariki.

Trees for Canterbury are giving away 2000 small native trees during the festival – 1000 each weekend. These will be given out between 5pm and 9pm on select nights: 

  • Opening weekend: Friday 21, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June until the first 1000 supplies last.
  • Second weekend: Thursday 27, Friday 28, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 June while supplies last.

There’s a limit of two per whānau, and the trees can only be planted in non-public spaces, such as homes, schools, marae, churches etc, not public reserves.

To get your tree, visit our painted container Te Whakaipurangi / The Resource Centre located out the front of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. See the map for the exact location.

Community planting events 

Join a community planting event with Trees for Canterbury(external link).

There are many different events to choose from, but on Sunday 30 June of the Matariki holiday weekend, you can head to 64 Turners Road, between 10am and 12pm to lend your support. View map(external link).

This event is held in conjunction with Greengear(external link), TreeTech(external link) and Styx Living Laboratory(external link).  
 
View all Trees for Canterbury planting events this season(external link). 

Free yo-yos

Our principal sponsor, Orion, will be lighting up kids’ faces with light-up yo-yos during the festival. The young at heart are also welcome to take one home with them.   

The yo-yos will be given out between 5pm and 8pm on select nights, until supplies last: 

  • Opening weekend: Friday 21 and Saturday 22 June.
  • Second weekend: Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June.  

The yo-yo giveaway will be based at our painted container Te Whakaipurangi / The Resource Centre located out the front of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. See the map for the exact location.

Keep an eye out around the festival for a yo-yo expert who’ll also be out and about, showcasing and teaching tricks. 

Sausage sizzle and family entertainment

The Hits FM will be running a free sausage sizzle between 5pm and 9pm on select nights until supplies last. They'll also be there with family entertainment. 

  • Opening weekend: Friday 21, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June.
  • Second weekend: Thursday 27, Friday 28 and Saturday 29 June.

The sausage sizzle giveaway will be based at our painted container Te Whakaipurangi / The Resource Centre located out the front of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. See the map for the exact location. 

Getting there

There are nine covered parking buildings and thousands of on-street parks available in the central city.

Most on-street parking is free after 6pm (please check signage), see the carpark map for more info(external link)(external link)(external link).

For information on bus timetables, please visit MetroInfo.(external link)

The story of Puaka-Matariki

The appearance of the Matariki star cluster – made up of nine stars(external link)(external link) – welcomes in Te Tau Hou, the New Year. Rising in the northeast sky, the star cluster is not always readily visible in all parts of New Zealand.

For those living in Te Waipounamu, the South Island, Puanga is a brighter star in the night sky which rises earlier than Matariki and is often considered to herald the New Year. Some iwi celebrate Puanga rather than Matariki as Te Tau Hou.

The rise of Puanga and Matariki is often acknowledged as being a time of coming together and of reflecting on the past year, on the people who have passed and on whakapapa (genealogy).

Whakapapa sets out the beginning and continuing relationships between everything - past and present. It accounts for the way in which all things have been created: the stars, earth, sky, oceans, rivers, elements, minerals, plants, animals and all people.

A huge thanks to our partners and sponsors - Orion, Connetics, Trees for Canterbury, Whitiora, Dark Sky Project, Streamliner, Crowne Plaza Christchurch and The Hits.