Chch quake anniversary, music festival dominate weekend

Christchurch is set to have a busy weekend with a memorial service for the 14th anniversary of the February 22, 2011, earthquake and the Electric Avenue music festival.

The memorial ceremony will take place at Oi Manawa Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial on the banks of the Ōtākaro Avon River on Saturday.

A minute of silence will be held at 12.51pm, and the names of the 185 people who lost their lives in the earthquake will be read aloud with the HMNZS Canterbury bell tolled with each name.

“Mayor Phil Mauger will lay a wreath at the Memorial Wall on behalf of the people of Christchurch, and the wider community will be invited to lay floral tributes after the ceremony concludes around 1.15pm,” said civic services and mayoral office manager Duncan Sandeman.

“We welcome all who wish to attend to join as a community and reflect on the impact the destructive earthquakes have had on our city, and to remember those lives that were lost.”

Electric Avenue will take place in Hagley Park on Friday and Saturday.

It promises to be one of the largest festivals in New Zealand with more than 70,000 attending.

It is the festival’s 10th anniversary and its first year as a two-day festival.

The artists headlining are Chase and Status, The Prodigy, Wilkinson, Fat Freddy’s Drop and L.A.B.

Sandeman urged residents to plan ahead when visiting the area, with central city road closures in place and crowds expected with other large-scale events underway at the same time.

“Road closures and no parking restrictions will be in place around central Christchurch with the 2025 Navy Charter Parade event on Saturday afternoon and the Electric Avenue.”

Sandeman advises those attending the memorial service, Electric Avenue or visiting the city over the weekend to be prepared for possible delays and large crowds.

Sections of road surrounding Latimer Square will be closed between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday for the parade.

The crew from HMNZS Canterbury and HMNZS Pegasus will exercise their freedom of the city.

The Hagley Park car park and much of the surrounding on-street carparks will be closed during Electric Avenue. which runs from 2pm to 10.30pm on Friday and 1.30pm to 11.15pm on Saturday.

Crowds are expected around North Hagley Park in the afternoons on both days before the festival gates open.