An event for every occasion and activities for every season. Akaroa and Banks Peninsula has an exciting calendar of events all year round.
Want to host your own event? Find out how Akaroa District Promotions can help organise and promote it here.
Visit the Akaroa Farmers Market every Saturday from 9.30am to 1pm from October to April. Banks Peninsula has an abundance of produce and passionate gardeners. Our stallholders offer locally grown fruit, veges, herbs, honey, olive oil, olives, nuts and flowers plus locally produced preserves, pickles, jams, sauces, bread, pastries, lavender products, plants, and more.
For more Information on the Akaroa Farmers Market talk to one of the stall holders or contact Neil Barnett.
The Akaroa Farmers Market have a new Facebook page to let folk know what’s happening, what’s in season, who's selling what and any specials stall holders are offering.
J. H. Menzies: Design & Decoration is the new temporary exhibition for the summer.
This exhibition discusses the architectural and furniture design of J. H. Menzies.
It features six pieces of his furniture, including the magnificent Stanford Family Pātaka Cabinet, a recent co-acquisition by Akaroa Museum and the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū.
It also includes two photographs by the photographer Neil Pardington.
The exhibition opens on Saturday 7 December 2019 and runs through to late March 2020.
Permanent Exhibitions:
Ngā Taenga mai -Arrivals focuses on a 30 year period of Banks Peninsula history when the region underwent intense change. From the 1830s to the 1850s, a 700-800 year continuum of Ngāi Tahu occupation was broken by new arrivals. The simultaneous histories of whaling, the failed French colony, naval occupation, the arrival of Pākeha settlers and the struggle by Ngāi Tahu to get a fair deal for their land are explored in the new exhibition.
Land & Sea is about the human relationship with the natural environment, and how settlers from both Polynesian and European origins made their living from the land and sea around Horomaka Banks Peninsula.
Tales of Banks Peninsula has local identity as its theme. Meet some of the heroes (and villains) that punctuate our history - Frank Worsley, Bully Hayes, Captain Bruce, Jessie Buckland and Pompey the Penguin.
Open:
The Museum is open 7 days a week. 10.30am until 4.30 pm. Entrance is FREE.
The Akaroa Art Gallery (previously the 'Orion Powerhouse Gallery') comes to life in the warmer months when Akaroa is full of visitors and holiday-makers. The gallery hosts exhibitions featuring artists from Banks Peninsula and beyond, many of national and international recognition.
Christine King & Michael Holland Exhibition from Saturday 1st - Sunday 16th Feb 2020
Open Daily from 10am - 4-pm
2019 Committee:
Bryan Tichborne (President)
Peter Lambert (Treasurer)
Jan Collins (Secretary) (0223 186193) janandclyde@xtra.co.nz
Jeanette Elliott (Meeting Secretary)
Mary Farrell (Minders)
Sarah Ford
Keith Harris
Annette Moore
Pip Mason
Carolyn Turnbull.
Contact the president of the Akaroa Gallery, Bryan Tichborne, for further details… tichborne@watercolours.co.nz or 03 304 7878.
A great family fun day out in Okains Bay. Events include a traditional Maori welcome onto the Marae, a magnificent carved waka being paddled up the river, colonial displays, exhibits, crafts, vintage engines, printing presses, children’s games, a traditional hangi lunch, music and a garden bar and so much more.
Okains Bay Commemorations
Nau mai, Tautī mai. Join us at the Okains Bay Māori and Colonial Museum for a family day to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Highlights include a pōwhiri (traditional welcome),
New Zealand citizenship ceremony, hāngī lunch, craft workshops by Rekindle, taonga puoro (Māori musical instruments), cocksfoot demonstration, working blacksmith, kids races, and the paddling of the Ngai Tahu waka, Kōtukumairangi on the Ōpara River at 2pm. View the Museum’s amazing collections and enjoy continuous demonstrations all day including spinning, bread baking in a traditional clay oven, master weavers, and print shop. Crafts, stalls, lolly scramble, sausage sizzle, espresso coffee, garden bar, cafeteria and more!
The Waitangi Day commemorations at Okains Bay are the longest standing in the South Island with 2020 being the 45th consecutive commemoration.
Gates open at 9:30am.
Pōwhiri (traditional welcome) commences at 10:30am.
Waka paddling at 2pm.
Entrance Adults $10, Children $2
Please bring cash. No ATM available.
Please phone the Museum for more details 03 304 8611 or check out their facebook page for updates:
https://www.facebook.com/Okains-Bay-Maori-and-Colonial-Museum-199553010101485/
The Southern Lights Centre is a very special place nestled amongst native bush on the outskirts of Akaroa, New Zealand, high on the mountainous rim of an extinct volcano whose crater forms Akaroa Harbour. It is a place of pure energy and at its heart is the Meditation Temple, the Silent Space. The natural surroundings and expansive nature of the vista offers an ideal environment to study and reflect inwardly with a sense of peace and heightened awareness.
The Centre is linked with a global network of schools that traditionally have been known as mystery schools. It encompasses the Ageless Wisdom teachings which at their core are a quest for understanding the purpose of the soul. These teachings are the accumulated wisdom from Humanity's quest for answers to the meaning of life.
We offer opportunities for spiritual nourishment, from meditations and retreats to our new eight month residential course, Spiritual Realities. We are here to support you in rediscovering and developing your inner Self. We aim to prepare students and questers for a life of practical service, shifting towards a greater consideration of the needs of others and humanity as a whole.
Meditation Retreats 2020
These are held preceding or on the four Spiritual Festivals of the year
5 April (Christ)
3 May (Wesak)
7 June (Humanity)
2 August (Sirius)
** Day retreats (Sunday 9.30 am – 4 pm) for the remainder of the solar fire festivals will be held in response to requests on the following dates **
Capricorn - 12 January
Aquarius – 9 February
Pisces – 8 March
Cancer – 5 July
Virgo – 30 August
Libra – 4 October
Scorpio – 1 November
Sagittarius – 29 November
Capricorn – 27 December
For more information on meditations or events please contact:
433 Long Bay Road, Akaroa
Ph: 03-304-8893
Website: www.southernlights.org.nz
E-mail: julia@southernlights.org.nz
After a few years exploring other locations around the country, we’re thrilled to be returning to the simply beautiful Akaroa Harbour for the Generation Homes La Grande Swim!
Events on offer at Generation Homes La Grande Swim:
For the first time in the South Island, we’ll be holding a 5km event (the only one outside of our Rotorua event), starting at Wainui, swimmers will head across the harbour to finish in front at the Akaroa Recreation Grounds. There will also be 750m and 2km swims, as well as the Banana Boat OceanKids events for the younger tadpoles with three distances available.
This annual cycle race starts in the middle of Christchurch at 7.30am for the pre-race briefing and then it's all go at 8.00am. The finish line is in the centre of Akaroa, followed by prize giving on the Akaroa recreation ground. Make a weekend of it by booking into 1 of the many wonderful B&B's in Akaroa and enjoy a family weekend away. Be warned! This is not your ordinary 100 km race. Hugely popular across all abilities, amazing views and more hills than you can shake a pump at.
Every year the locals await the Akaroa & Bays Lions Paddy's Market on the Recreation Green. Come and enjoy this fundraiser for the Lions and take away lots of bargains. Furniture, collectables, tools, house hold goods you name it, you can find it on the Green at the Paddy’s Market. White Elephant starts 10.00am and Auction starts at 10.30am.
WHITE ELEPHANT 10.00 AM
AUCTION STARTS 10.30 AM
CONVENOR JEFF GREENING
03 304 8866
027 537 0400
LIONS PRESIDENT
PAUL De LATOUR
03 304 8518
027 2034046
SECRETARY
JIM COUBROUGH
03 304 8738
021 669381
Lions Club
Po Box 13
Akaroa
7542
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served. Anzac is 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War, and is a public holiday.
BP RSA President Jim Coubrough