Showtime Canterbury

Showtime Canterbury is the premier regional event in the South Island and one of the most prestigious festivals in New Zealand.

Showtime Canterbury heralds the coming of spring, and provides an atmosphere charged with excitement, the perfect way to throw off the winter blues and race into spring.

New Zealand's premier regional festival leaps from the starting gates with Norwesta! on 31 October and sprints through to 17 November with non-stop action! The Canterbury Draught New Zealand Trotting and Galloping Cups, Guineas Day, Ladies Day and Show Day race meetings set the pace where Addington and Riccarton Raceways celebrate the finest New Zealand has to offer both on the track and off.

No international racing event is complete without a focus on fashion, join us at the American Express Christchurch and Canterbury 2003 Fashion Collections, hosted at our spectacular new Art Gallery and check out what all the glamorous Cantabrians will be wearing trackside.

Or join us for a celebration of Canterbury's rural heritage, The Canterbury A & P Show stages a magnificent event that showcases the best Canterbury has to offer with over 300 trade displays, carnival rides, sumptuous wine, food and cooking demonstrations providing the perfect opportunity for town and country folk to mingle.

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Christchurch was officially settled by the British in 1850. These pioneering settlers brought with them the gardening traditions of their homeland. It was just thirteen years after their arrival that the initial plans were made to form the present Botanic Gardens.

On 09 July 1863, an English oak tree was planted in the Gardens to commemorate the marriage of the English monarch, Queen Victoriaâ??s eldest son Prince Albert Edward to Princess Alexandra of Denmark. This is regarded as the foundation date of the Botanic Gardens.



Control of the Botanic Gardens was until 1946 vested in the Christchurch Domains Board. Due to financial difficulties the government dissolved the Board and placed control and funding under the jurisdiction of the Christchurch City Council. Today responsibility for the management of the Gardens is with the Botanical Services Team of the Greenspace Unit, Christchurch City Council.

The grounds of the Botanic Gardens encompass an area of 30 hectares (74 acres), the majority of this being within a loop of the Avon River. Until 1863, the Gardens were largely natural wetlands and sand dunes. Since this time, they have been transformed into a place of beauty with undoubtedly one of the finest collections of exotic and indigenous plants to be found anywhere in New Zealand. There are numerous large majestic trees, many of which are in excess of 120 years, and form a majestic background to the numerous plant collections and sweeping lawns.

Snow Skiing

The Canterbury region is the capital of skiing in New Zealand and has over 10 ski areas all within 2.5 hours drive of Christchurch International Airport. Commercial ski areas, club ski fields, skiing, snowboarding or try a spot of heli-skiing, this is the ultimate!

From North to South start your ski break at Mt Lyford , then a short drive to the Hanmer Springs ski area and from there through to Christchurch's closest ski area, Porter Heights - perfect for the whole family.