Events inspire passion for the lifestyle qualities and identity of Christchurch.

Events give life to the city, they create interest in and reflect the kind of city Christchurch is. The Council supports events due to the wide array of social, cultural, and economic benefits events provide.

Events can lead to stronger communities by bringing people together, raising community spirit and pride in local neighbourhoods and the city. They help celebrate our diverse cultures and city identity.

Events help raise the profile of our city, nationally and internationally, providing a wow factor that attracts visitors, boosts the hospitality and tourism industries, and supports economic development in the city. A more vibrant event-friendly city will help attract and retain creative people.

Our vision is to contribute towards ‘creating a more vibrant city through memorable events’ – making Christchurch a more desirable place to live, play, and to visit year-round.

The Council and ChristchurchNZ will partner with the community and private sector to facilitate a wide variety of memorable events for our residents to enjoy.

In late December 2017, the Council adopted an Events Policy Framework [PDF, 480 KB] to replace the 2007–2017 Events Strategy.

The purpose of this framework is to:

  • Update the vision for events in Christchurch – creating a more vibrant city through memorable events.
  • Enable Christchurch to be a more appealing and efficient place to hold events.
  • Guide the development of, and outline responsibility for, all event plans including the Major Events Strategy, developed by ChristchurchNZ (endorsed by the Council December 2017) and the Community Events Implementation Plan, developed by Council in 2018.

Hierarchy of events

The Council and ChristchurchNZ have key roles to play in the events industry. Responsibility for different types of events will be split between the Council and ChristchurchNZ:

Hierarchy of events documents

The Council plays a number of significant roles in the development and support of events in the city.

These roles include:

  • the direct provision of events
  • providing financial and in-kind support to events
  • bidding for and hosting events in Christchurch
  • providing event venues
  • marketing events
  • to regulating events held on Council land.

A range of other individuals and organisations are also involved in staging events in Christchurch.

ChristchurchNZ, commercial companies, sports, arts and cultural organisations, promoters, entrepreneurs, voluntary organisations and trusts all play their part in Christchurch’s events infrastructure. It is important that the Council works in co-operation with these parties to achieve the maximum benefits for the city.

Contact us

Our Events Partnerships and Development Advisors in the Events and Arts Team are here to answer your questions about events held on public land or that have a potential impact on the city. Please contact us for more information:

Or read through our Event Permits.