Variety the spice of NZ spring festival
28 Oct 2009
Billed as the country’s biggest spring festival, New Zealand Cup and Show week takes the prize for diversity with a programme featuring everything from rural life, racing and rodeo to fashion, theatre and dancing.
Held in the South Island city of Christchurch from 7 - 14 November, the festival gets underway with a million-dollar event at the region’s well known racing venue, Riccarton Park.
The $1 Million Magic NZ 2000 Guineas Day attracts Australasia’s best three-year-old horses for the key race of the day, while off the field punters enjoy a parade of top fashion, live music and gourmet dining.
Racing and fashion
There will be six major race meetings throughout the week, including New Zealand Cup trophies for all racing codes.
The Christchurch Casino New Zealand Trotting Cup on 10 November promises to draw large crowds to Addington Raceway, and the annual fashion competitions - Best Dressed Man and Lady at the Races (Addington Raceway) and Fashions in the Field (Riccarton Park) - will be hotly contested.
As part of show week, the Canterbury A & P Association will hold its 79th Royal New Zealand Show from 13 -15 November, with crowds of more than 120,000 expected.
The traditional event is New Zealand’s largest agricultural and pastoral show where livestock, machinery, trade exhibits, live entertainment, gourmet produce and cooking demonstrations provide a fascinating insight into rural New Zealand life.
Show entertainment
A show highlight on 7 November sees legendary broadcaster Michael Parkinson making his first New Zealand appearance for a one-off show at Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal.
On 12 November top New Zealand fashion designers will show their latest collections at Style Christchurch 2009 - which this year has an aviation theme. Labels represented include Zambesi, Nom*D, Sakaguchi, Stitch Ministry, Aduki, Anna Stretton and Emma Ford.
On the same day, the South Island’s biggest multi-stage music festival Southern Amp offers a line-up of New Zealand and international acts who have pledged to support the Samoa Tsunami Appeal in partnership with Oxfam New Zealand.
New Zealand Cup and Show Week will finish with an International Rodeo at Westpac Arena on 14 November, with competitors from Australia, USA, Canada, Brazil and Mexico challenging Kiwi riders.
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