Library hours for Canterbury Anniversary Day 2023

The Library at Madras, Manawa and Woolston Campus will be closed on Friday the 17th November for Canterbury Anniversary Day or as we like to call it, Show Day. We will reopen at 10 am on Saturday 18th November. Please note the After Hours Pod will also be closed on Show Day.

This holiday celebrates the establishment of Canterbury as a province of New Zealand.

The annual Agricultural Exhibition held at the show grounds in Hillmorton will go ahead this year after being cancelled for the last two years. In 2019 over 100 000 people visited the Show over its three days.

The Addington Show Grounds

The weather over Show Weekend is usually fine so some sort of outdoor activity is always a good alternate. Picnics, barbeques, camping, tramping, beach walks and family get togethers are other options…

Bark Bay Hut in the Abel Tasman…my favourite place!

From all of us here at Ara Library we wish you a very happy Anniversary Weekend.

Library hours for Canterbury Anniversary Day 2023

The Library at Madras, Manawa and Woolston Campus will be closed on Friday the 17th November for Canterbury Anniversary Day. We will reopen at 10 am on Saturday 18th November.

Also known as Show Day this holiday celebrates the establishment of Canterbury as a province of New Zealand.

The annual Agricultural Exhibition held at the show grounds in Hillmorton will go ahead this year after being cancelled for the last two years. In 2019 over 100 000 people visited the Show over its three days.

The Show Grounds at Hillmorton in 2019

It will be good to see its return!

The weather over Show Weekend is usually fine so some sort of outdoor activity is always a good alternate. Picnics, barbeques, camping, tramping, beach walks and family get togethers are other options…

Why not walk to one of the Canterbury Foothill peaks…?

From all of us here at Ara Library we wish you a very happy Anniversary Weekend.

Library hours over the Canterbury Anniversary Weekend (Show Day)

All branches of the library at Ara Institute of Canterbury will be closed on Friday 13th November 2020 for Canterbury Anniversary Day (Show Day). We will reopen at 10am on Saturday 14th November.

Show Day will be different this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The annual Agricultural Exhibition held at the show grounds in Hillmorton has been cancelled this year. 

The Canterbury Agricultural Show in 2017…

Given that 80 000-100 000 people visit the show over its three days this was the only possible outcome. This will be only the second time in its history that the Show has been cancelled. The other time was during the Second World War when it did not take place from 1939-1944.

While the Canterbury Agricultural Show is cancelled most of us will still have a day off work & study. Show Weekend is usually fine so some sort of outdoor activity would seem to be a good alternate. Picnics, barbeques, camping, beach walks and family get togethers are all good options…

Travers Valley from the Lakehead Track jetty, Nelson Lakes National Park

Personally I will be spending the weekend tramping in Nelson Lakes National Park.

From all of us here at Ara Library I would like to wish you a safe Canterbury Anniversary Day and we look forward to seeing you soon. 

Ara closed for Canterbury Anniversary Day, Friday the 15th November

Canterbury Anniversary Day (Show Day) is on Friday the 15th November so Ara Institute of Canterbury (Christchurch and Ashburton campuses only) will be closed for the day. Canterbury Anniversary Day commemorates the founding of Canterbury Province in the 1850’s.

Emily Harper Christchurch from near the Gloucester Street Bridge 1857. Watercolour. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū,

If you have no plans for the public holiday why not take a break and immerse yourself in all things rural by heading to the New Zealand Agricultural Show at their Canterbury Agricultural Park near Halswell.

 

Approximately 100,000 people visit the show which runs from 13th-15th November and there is something for everyone to enjoy. Attractions in 2019 include; food, drink, live music performances, circus acts, equestrian events, carnival rides, wood chopping and livestock competitions.

The 2018 Agricultural Show, New Zealand Agricultural Show website

 

A visit to the Show is a great day out for both adults and children…

 

New Zealand Agricultural Show: map of the Addington Grounds

For more information about the show go to the New Zealand Agricultural Show website.

The Library will be open as usual on Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th of November. Have a great break on Friday…..

Canterbury Anniversary Day

The Holidays Act 1981 specified that each province in New Zealand was to have a Provincial Anniversary Day holiday to celebrate the founding  or landing days of the first colonists of the various provinces.  If you are lucky this means a day off work or study (but not if you work in hospitality or essential services).

According to Wikipedia the Canterbury Anniversary Day is the 16th of November but the 16th of December according to The New Zealand Railways Magazine.  In more practical terms it’s neither of these dates as (at the risk  of sounding a little like the rules of monopoly) it is observed on the second Friday after the first Tuesday in November to coincide with the A&P Show.  This is why it is also known as Show Day. 

Enjoy your day off!