Third Tīrama Mai event to light up Christchurch this winter

The third annual Tīrama Mai event will be lighting up Christchurch this winter with around 20 different lighting displays, artworks and interactive installations. Tīrama Mai – which means to bring light – is one of several events Christchurch City Council has planned over the winter months.

Christchurch City Council Manager of Events and Arts, Lucy Blackmore shares “there will be some crowd favourites from previous years, as well as some all-new displays to check out.

“It’s a great time to wrap up warm, get together with friends and whānau and explore the stories of Puaka and Matariki through fun, interactive artworks and live performances.

“Victoria Square offers some new spaces and locations to light up.

“A new two-piece installation, called Tomokanga, will form an entrance and exit to the space. Ariki Creative is developing the 5m tall, 8m wide gateway that will welcome visitors as they approach from Armagh Street. The second part of the installation marks the exit to the festival on the Colombo Street side of Victoria Square.

“Together, the Tomokanga installation will create a meeting place within Victoria Square for people to gather and be together during the Puaka Matariki period.”

The lighting festival is free to attend and will run from Friday 7th July until Saturday 15th July, including the Matariki public holiday which falls on Friday 14th July this year.

The displays will light up when the sun goes down, 5pm – 10pm. Live performances will also take place in the evenings of 7th-8th July and 13th-15th July.