Popular Christchurch event “Sparks” has been cancelled next year with council staff blaming Covid19 delays.

Council Events and Arts Manager Lucy Blackmore says the planning period for Sparks, usually held in February each year, was severely affected by the pandemic lockdown.

However, the event will return in 2022.

Meanwhile, the New Brighton Fireworks display will move permanently from November to July to mark Matariki, the Māori New Year.

In 2021, Symphony in the City, featuring three shows over three weekends by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in Victoria Square, will be held instead of Sparks.

The events will fall under an Ōtautahi Winter Festival umbrella.

Lucy Blackmore says “Matariki celebrations have been identified through consultation with the community as being important to Christchurch residents who want to celebrate New Zealand’s own unique culture.”

The 2020-21 programme highlights include: 

• The Go Live! Festival celebrating local music from Thursday, 24 September until Saturday, 3 October this year.

• A New Year’s Eve concert special in North Hagley Park, featuring a highly anticipated headline band.

• The Summer Series Symphony in the City, featuring the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra performing three concerts in Victoria Square early next year.

• The Summer Series Lazy Sundays, Kite Day and Summer Theatre.

• The Walking Festival in April next year.

• A new Ōtautahi Winter Festival that will entertain people with lights, performance, visual arts and stargazing – incorporating a lighting event similar to CHCH IS LIT. The latter ran in July 2020 to help fill the gap created by the postponement of Botanic D’Lights. The new lighting event will run in the central city and New Brighton from June next year and feature more significant lighting and trails than this year.

• The New Brighton Fireworks in July, marking Matariki and launching KidsFest while also sitting under the Ōtautahi Winter Festival umbrella.