A Taste Of Antarctica Comes To Ōtautahi Christchurch

As the Scott Base team gears up for a busy summer of science, Ōtautahi Christchurch—one of the world’s five Antarctic gateway cities—will host a week of Antarctic-themed events to celebrate the research season’s opening. With international Antarctic programme personnel bustling through the city on their way south, it's the perfect time to join in on Days of Ice festivities!

The main hub of activity will be Tūranga in the central city, where Awesome Antarctica events will run from 8-13 October. From gelato to art, and a fun-filled family day, there’s something for everyone.

Kicking off tonight at 5.30pm, Artists in Antarctica will showcase the stunning beauty of the continent and the important work happening there through the eyes of talented artists. Hear from Patrick Shepherd and other creatives who’ve spent time on the ice, as part of Antarctica New Zealand’s Community Engagement Programme (formerly known as the Artists to Antarctica and Invited Guests Programme). Artworks from Antarctica New Zealand’s collection will on display for a week at Tūranga, including pieces by celebrated artists like Grahame Sydney, Bill Manhire, Nigel Brown, Andris Apse and Kirsten Haydon.

On Wednesday, join Matty Jordan and Jonny Harrison for a live recording of their popular podcast, Everything Antarctica, as they interview special guests. Matty’s gained an international following on social media when he wintered over at Scott Base last year. One fan, Rollickin Gelato, has created a festival flavour, ‘Matty’s Berry Berg’.

If you’re ready to explore Antarctica yourself, immerse yourself in the extremes of the icy continent through virtual reality. Filmmaker Anthony Powell has captured hundreds of hours of 360-degree video from Antarctica, and collaborated with The University of Canterbury’s HIT Lab NZ (Human Interface Technology Laboratory New Zealand) to create a unique experience for VR headsets — reserve your spot if you’d like to give it a try at the library on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon.

Saturday’s Explore Antarctica is an expo-style family day at Tūranga from 10am-3pm. Kids can get hands-on with science experiments, try on extreme cold weather gear, enjoy fun Antarctic activities, and even meet huskies!

Sunday will round out the week with the annual South to Antarctica church service at the Transitional Cathedral at 10am. The Erebus Chalice will be handed over to the United States Air Force to be flown to the Chapel of the Snows for the research season.

Other activities include Antarctic films, presentations and talks, an Antarctic window hunt in Lyttelton, and more.

While most events are free, some do require registration and a small fee. Visit the What’s On website for details, or check out the full programme on Christchurch City Libraries’ website. Come and experience the things that make our connection to Antarctica so special!

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