New Zealand’s First City Celebration On 29 July
Christchurch will wake to a sea of red and black on Saturday, 29 July, in a celebration of the 150th birthday of Christchurch – New Zealand’s first city.
To commemorate the milestone, a birthday party for Christchurch will be held in Cathedral Square where there will be bands, speeches, clowns, a bouncy castle as well as an enormous cake for the residents of Christchurch.
On the day, as a show of city-wide pride, many statues, bridges and buildings throughout Christchurch will be dressed in red and black ribbons, including the Thomas Edmonds Band Rotunda, the entrance pillars to the Museum and the Botanic Gardens’ gates.
Christchurch officially became New Zealand’s first city when Queen Victoria signed the Letters Patent (or Royal Charter) on 31 July 1856. It was signed so that Christchurch could be the seat or base for a bishop. On Christmas Day, 1856, Henry John Chitty Harper was enthroned as the first Bishop of Christchurch, which means that this year is also the 150th anniversary of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch.
A Civic Service will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, 30 July at 10am to jointly celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch and the establishment of Christchurch.
Other events marking the 150th birthday of Christchurch – New Zealand’s first city, include an exhibition at Our City O-Tautahi from October to December and a Celebrate Christchurch promotion being run at the Central Library with different themes on each floor from 14-27 July. |
