Heritage Festival to showcase Christchurch sporting and recreational history

This year’s Christchurch Heritage Festival programme has been released with a theme of 'Active Heritage – Sport, Recreation and Leisure'.

The festival runs from 12th to 28th October and will explore how these activities have shaped the diverse communities from Ōtautahi Christchurch, Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula and wider Waitaha Canterbury.

Festival Coordinator Deborah Cosgrove notes “this year marked the 50-year anniversary of the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch which made the perfect starting point for the theme of our 2024 festival.

The 10th British Commonwealth Games, known as the ‘Friendly Games’, took place at Queen Elizabeth II Park, Christchurch from 24th January to 2nd February 1974.

“A number of events in our programme reference the games with a highlight being the Area 51 Futuro House Open Day,” she added.

“The Futuro house is a futuristic ellipsoid building, which looks a bit like a spaceship, made from prefabricated white reinforced plastic. A Christchurch manufacturer secured the rights to produce the Finnish design and two Futuro houses were show-cased at the entrance to QE II Park during the Games.

“There’s a rich programme of other activities for people to learn about aspects of our communities’ heritage – from a tram ride to heritage building tours – over and above the sport, recreation and leisure themed events,”

Other themed events will include:

• The Remembering the Friendly Games exhibition at New Brighton and Districts Museum which runs daily from 12th-28th October with a talk on Wednesday 16th October and Sunday 20th October from 2-3pm.

• Anyone for croquet? Croquet at Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House on Saturday 19th October from 11-12.30pm. Booking required.

• From Olympia to New Zealand: Highlighting New Zealand’s Olympic History exhibition from 12th-27th October, Wednesday to Sunday, 11am-4pm at the Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities.

• Prebbleton - Its Sport and Leisure over Sixteen Decades, a display on 18th and 19th October at the Prebbleton Public Hall.

• The 70s Big Band Blast features hits from the 1970s at Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre on Sunday 27th October from 1-4pm.

• The Global Games and Leisure Extravaganza at the Christchurch Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre celebrates traditional games, sports, and leisure activities from around the world, from noon-4pm on Saturday 19th October.

For more information on the Christchurch Heritage Festival, check out the online programme or pick up a guide from local libraries and service centres. 

Image: The Futuro house