More events planned for Christchurch have been cancelled due to government restrictions on COVID-19 and lack of information on how the new COVID protection framework will work.

Christchurch City Council has cancelled the New Year’s Eve party in North Hagley Park and fun family event Kite Day while Bread & Circus World Buskers Festival has postponing the event.

The festival was set to run from 14 to 30 January but will now take place during the Easter School holidays.

Christchurch City Council Events and Arts Manager Lucy Blackmore said the cancelling is due to the continued ambiguity around restrictions for events, particularly those that are un-ticketed and open to the whole community.

“That ambiguity has also prompted the Council to pull the plug on its planned New Year’s Eve celebrations, which usually attract about 20,000 people to listen to bands playing live and watch a fireworks display at midnight.”

“We had hoped that the Hagley Park party would still go ahead, but continuing to plan for the free event that is open to the whole community has become too difficult in the current environment.”

A decision to cancel Kite Day, usually held in February each year, has also been made due to the challenges of having to deliver a contained event at the beach.

“While the cancellations are disappointing we always knew this was a possibility in the current environment and have contingency plans in place for the rest of our summer programme.”

“Key to this is getting more information from the government about how the Covid Protection Framework will work, which is due at the end of the month. We need this detail to ensure the events we do run are enjoyable, safe and cost-effective. We will announce the new programme as quickly as possible.”