What's On
What’s on this summer holiday (December to February)
Whether you want quiet time or have energy to burn, there’s loads of (mostly) free stuff to do at our Ashburton District Council facilities.
Don’t forget our beautiful outdoor spaces to explore. Relax on our forest bathers in the Ashburton Domain, or bike around Lake Hood. From skateparks to gardens, walking tracks to playgrounds there’s something for everyone to do in Mid Canterbury.
You can grab a hardcopy of the booklet from all our facilities (Library, EANC, Art Gallary and Museum, etc), or check out the digital version here š
Exhibition | Lost Luggage
Ashburton Museum
4th Dec 2024 - 16th Mar 2025
Lost luggage includes items of luggage or personal goods left behind or that have not arrived at the correct destination with the passenger. Whether travelling by rail, bus, ship or...
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Exhibition | and with his kiss i became a braided river, Wesley John Fourie
Ashburton Art Gallery
15th Dec 2024 - 21st Feb 2025
Opening event | Saturday 14 December, 6pm
Waitaha Canterbury contains nearly sixty-four percent of the braided rivers found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Their dynamics are still being understood, but what is clear is that the...
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Opening: Michael Greaves | Wesley John Fourie
Ashburton Art Gallery
14th Dec 2024 06:00 pm
Join us for the opening of two new exhibitions: Falling if not Flying by Michael Greaves, and and with his kiss i became a braided river by Wesley John Fourie.Falling...
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Exhibition | In View: Reflections of Whakatere Ashburton's Unique Artistic Treasures
Ashburton Art Gallery
21st Dec 2024 - 21st Feb 2025
In View features a selection of artworks from the Ashburton Art Gallery Incorporated Collection (AAG Inc.) and the Ashburton District Council’s Civic Art Collection. AAG Inc....
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The Great Santa Hunt 2024
Ashburton Museum
18th Dec 2024 05:00 pm
The Great Santa Hunt is back on at the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum these school holidays with a special late night opening event on Wednesday 18...
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Wriggle & Read Christmas Special
Ashburton Library
17th Dec 2024 10:30 am
Come along and enjoy some of our favourite songs and rhymes along with a few Christmas songs to enjoy in the event space.
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Christmas Paper Craft
Ashburton Library
18th Dec 2024 10:30 am
Cut & colour your way into Christmas festivities. Get crafty with us at Te Kete Tuhinga.All tamariki/children
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Christmas Story Time
Ashburton Library
19th Dec 2024 10:30 am
Come along and enjoy some fun Christmas stories and songs.All tamariki/children
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EANC Holiday Programme - December
EA Networks Centre
19th Dec 2024 - 24th Dec 2024
08:30 am - 05:00 pmNeed fully-supervised childcare for your under-13 school-aged child?Book in for games, sports, field trips, Christmas crafts, rest home carol singing and more!Tamariki/children aged 5 - 13 years.Day $40, Full day...
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Schools Out Stadium Inflatable and Pool Movie
EA Networks Centre
21st Dec 2024 09:00 am - 05:00 pm
Bounce in and try our stadium inflatable!Toddler session 9am-10.30am, regular sessions 11am-12.30pm and 1pm-2.30pm finishing with a movie in the pool on the big LED screen 3-5pm.Inflatable costs: Under five...
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Laser Cut Tic Tac Toe
Ashburton Library
20th Dec 2024 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Make your own Christmas themed laser cut Tic Tac Toe game.All tamariki/children
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Waffle cone Christmas trees
Ashburton Library
23rd Dec 2024 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Book in to make a tasty and edible waffle cone Christmas tree.All tamariki/children
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Christmas i-spy
Ashburton Library
14th Dec 2024 - 31st Jan 2025
Can you find all the hidden items in our Christmas themed i-spy display?All tamariki/children
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Christmas T-shirts
Ashburton Library
2nd Dec 2024 - 13th Dec 2024
2 - 13 DecMon - 3pm-4pmTues - 11am-12pmWed - 2pm-3pmThurs - 11am-12pmFri - 10am-11amOpen to teens 12 to 18 years....
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Exhibition | An Iconography of Doubt, Esther Deans
Ashburton Art Gallery
1st Dec 2024 - 13th Dec 2024
Opening event: Saturday 26 October, 6pm
Esther Deans’ thesis exhibition is an accumulation of ideas and imagery from four years of study towards her PhD through the Auckland University of Technology. This research was a personal...
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Bridging the chasm - 150 years of Ashburton District Railway
Ashburton Museum
1st Dec 2024 - 2nd Mar 2025
Arriving in August 1874, the Great Southern Railway opened Ashburton to the world. The station became the arrival and departure platform for thousands of people coming and going over the...
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Exhibition | Falling if not Flying, Michael Greaves
Ashburton Art Gallery
9th Dec 2024 - 7th Feb 2025
Opening event | Saturday 14 December, 6pm
This recent body of work from Åtepoti Dunedin-based painter Michael Greaves are a continuation of the last four years of his practice, a period bound up with the...
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Paper Hand Wreaths - Summer Activities
Ashburton Art Gallery
1st Dec 2024 - 14th Dec 2024
Create, decorate & celebrate! Gather your family and make a DIY hand print wreath to celebrate 2024. Write on each hand someone or something you are grateful for this year.01...
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Celebration Tree - Summer Activities
Ashburton Art Gallery
15th Dec 2024 - 5th Jan 2025
Help us create a 3D community tree out of recycled materials to celebrate a variety of cultural holidays.15 December – 05 January10AM – 4PM daily
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Suitcase Travel Tags
Ashburton Art Gallery
5th Dec 2024 - 5th Jan 2025
Taking inspiration from our exhibition Lost Luggage, design a suitcase tag so that your luggage will never get lost on your summer travels.15 December – 05 January10AM – 4PM...
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Jar of Emotions Poster
Ashburton Art Gallery
15th Dec 2024 - 25th Jan 2025
Fill your jar with diļ¬erent colours and materials that speak to each of your emotions to create a beautiful poster.15 December – 25 January10AM – 4PM daily
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Santa Hat Making
Ashburton Art Gallery
18th Dec 2024 - 24th Dec 2024
Make your own Santa hat in the lead up to Christmas!18 December – 24 December10AM – 4PM daily
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Teen Summer Reading Challenge
Ashburton Library
1st Dec 2024 - 24th Jan 2025
Have a bricktacular summer with our teen reading challenge.Complete all four challenges and claim a free choccy fish!Complete them twice and go into the draw for an awesome Dancing Groot...
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Kidsā Summer Reading Challenge
Ashburton Library
14th Dec 2024 - 22nd Jan 2025
Rocket into the Ashburton Library this summer for this season’s kids’ summer reading challenge.Complete the challenge and be in to win one of 10 Whitcoulls gift vouchers valued at $25.All...
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EANC Holiday Programme - January
EA Networks Centre
6th Jan 2025 - 31st Jan 2025
08:30 am - 05:00 pmNeed fully-supervised childcare for your under-13 school-aged child?Book in for games, sports, field trips, Christmas crafts, rest home carol singing and more!Tamariki/children aged 5 - 13 years.Day $40, Full day...
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Hampstead Pool Swimming
EA Networks Centre
3rd Jan 2025 - 2nd Feb 2025
01:00 pm - 06:00 pmFreshen up with a swim at Hampstead Pool over summer!Lifeguards from EA Networks Centre will be on duty.Public swimming / Adult $4.50 Child $3.50All tamariki/children
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Stadium Inflatable
EA Networks Centre
5th Jan 2025
5, 7, 9, 11 & 14 January
Jump in on Jan 5 and 11 for three two-hour sessions 10am,12.30pm, and 3.30pm.Other weekdays one session 10am-12pmPrice $6.25 - 2 hour session.All tamariki/children
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Community Pools Inflatable Visits
EA Networks Centre
5th Jan 2025
12:00-5:00pm on Wednesdays and 12:30-3:30pm on weekends.
Jump into our inflatable roadshow in Mayfield, Ruapuna, Mount Somers, Hinds and Rakaia.Mayfield Pool: Sun 5 JanMayfield and Ruapuna Pools: Wed 8, Sat 11 and Sun 12 JanMount Somers Pool:...
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Teen Bootcamp
EA Networks Centre
13th Jan 2025 - 27th Jan 2025
Mondays and Wednesdays at 2pm from 13-27 Jan. 45 mins sessions.
Stay fit over summer these holidays at BootCamp!Mondays and Wednesdays at 2pm from 13-27 Jan. 45 mins sessions.Activity for ages 11-16 $5 per session or part of gym membership (only...
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Games on the Green
Ashburton Library
17th Jan 2025
17 and 20 January, 4pm-5:30pm
27 and 31 January, 3pm-5pm
Come along and enjoy some light hearted fun with some backyard games like cornhole and ring toss!Rangatahi/young adults
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DIY Paper Train
Ashburton Art Gallery
6th Jan 2025 - 25th Jan 2025
Learn how to make a DIY paper train using coloured paper, glue, and a marker pen! This simple and fun craft project is perfect for kids and adults.06 January –...
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Te Reo Scavenger Hunt
Ashburton Art Gallery
26th Jan 2025 - 9th Feb 2025
Celebrate the month of Waitangi with our fun and educational Te Reo MÄori Rapu Hamu (Scavenger Hunt)! Learn new words and about Te Tiriti as you search for items throughout...
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Marae Making
Ashburton Art Gallery
26th Jan 2025 - 9th Feb 2025
Make your own marae as a fun and engaging way to learn about the MÄori view of wellbeing - Te Whare Tapa WhÄ.26 January - 09 February10AM - 4PM...
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Air New Zealand Talk | Lost Luggage
Ashburton Museum
15th Jan 2025 05:30 pm
Unfortunately, mishandled baggage and lost luggage can sometimes be a part of the travel experience. But how can you minimise the chances of this happening?To celebrate our exhibition Lost Luggage,...
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