Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, 31 Queens Garden, Dunedin. 10am-5pm. Animal Explorers Gallery Trail, some of Aotearoa’s wildlife is escaping the summer heat in Toitū’s galleries. Seek out these crazy creatures, then collect your reward from the reception desk.
Tūhura Otago Museum, 419 Great King St North, Dunedin. 2pm-3pm. Learn to Fly Science Show. Barclay Theatre/Museum Reserve, weather dependant. Embark on a thrilling exploration of flight at the Learn to Fly Science Show! Free entry — koha appreciated.
Fe29 Gallery, 30 Sandringham St, Dunedin. 10am-5pm. Tanya Ashken — "From the Subconscious" exhibition.
Dunedin Botanic Garden, Opoho Rd, Dunedin. 10am-4pm. Exhibition: Butterflies of Palmerston & The Waitaki District. A selection of larger-than-life butterfly photographs from the Waitaki District, highlighting their character and beauty through close up portraits. Free admission.
Dunedin City Library, Reed Gallery, 3rd Floor. 230 Moray Pl, Dunedin. 9.30am-8pm. The Glory of Print: A Celebration of Printing Specimens. The exhibition features a wide range of continental European and English printed books and leaves, showcasing the progression of printing history in Europe from 1450 to 1800. Free admission.
Olveston Historic Home, 42 Royal Terrace, Dunedin. 3pm-4pm. Olveston Garden Tour. Learn how the Olveston garden has been shaped by 200 years of gardening history. Entry $25 per person.
CENTRAL OTAGO
Eade Gallery, 17a Holloway St, Clyde. 10am-4pm. Melanie Eade and her son Thomas Geddes are collaborating on landscapes with similarly ethereal atmospheres for their duo solo exhibition entitled "Fire & Water".
The Red Barn, Cnr Red Oaks Dr and Hawthorn Dr, Queenstown. 4pm-8.30pm. Queenstown Food Truck Festival Twilight market. Join us for an amazing evening with great food vendors, amazing music and delicious drinks!
Hyde Liquor and Social, 40 Buckingham St, Arrowtown. 9pm. Julian Temple Band. Dunedin five-piece JTB return to Arrowtown on their New Year’s run of shows through the South Island. Free entry.
Hāwea Flat Domain, 130 Domain Rd, Hāwea Flat. 12.30pm. Hawea Picnic Races. A family-friendly local highlight with something for everyone!
Water Bar, 145 Ardmore St, Wānaka. 10pm. Ashtre. Bringing the freshest remixes, bootlegs and mashups, Ashtre hits the decks again to drop some of the latest tracks of 2023.
Queenstown Library, 10 Gorge Rd, Queenstown. 5.30pm. Author Event: A Cool Head and a Sharp Pen. Introducing the remarkable yet often overlooked Constance Barnicoat (1872-1922), a spirited, sharp-witted journalist, writer and adventurous mountaineer. Free event.
Beech Tree Craft Beer, 11 Beach St, Queenstown. 7pm-10pm. Beech Tree Quiz Night. A night of quizzing and craft beer. Send your team name and number of players with phone number via the Beech Tree Facebook page.
Hello Ranger, 9 Rocklands Ct, Wānaka. 6.30pm-9pm. Hello Ranger Quiz Night. Gather your friends, family or work colleagues and enjoy our local quiz! Donate $2 and we’ll match $2. All proceedings goes to Forest & Bird to give back to the community.
Mountain Club, Five Mile Centre 32 Grant Rd, Frankton. 12.30pm-3.30pm. Yoga at Mountain Club Five Mile. Join us for an afternoon yoga session.
Barmuda, 3 Searle Lane, Queenstown. 10pm-4am. Latin Thursdays! Reggaeton v Brazilian Funk.
Super Smash — Otago v Wellington, Molyneux Park Cricket Grounds, Alexandra. 12.30pm-8.00pm.
The Otago Sparks take on the Wellington Blaze, as well as the Volts against the Firebirds. Tickets $20 for adults and $10 for children under 14.
Omakau Golf Club, 23 Alton St, Omakau. All day. Manuherekia Valleys Community Hub fundraiser. Come along with your work colleagues, family and friends for a great golfing day out to support the build of "The Hub". Price is $120 for teams of 4.
Maniototo Garden Club, Oturehua and Ida Valley Maniototo 10am-4pm. Maniototo Garden Club Open Day.
This is a fundraiser event for Maniototo Area School, with a third of all proceeds going to Ranfurly FENZ towards the purchase of a new emergency response vehicle.Tickets $20 each.
Clyde Historical Museum, 5 Blyth St, Clyde. 1pm-4pm. 427 entries were submitted for the Central Otago Heritage in Focus photography competition, several are now on display at Clyde museum.
Henderson and Grant Art Gallery, 21 Centennial Ave, Alexandra. 5pm-7pm. "A Garden is a Long Time" exhibition. A commemorative exhibition showcasing work from Eric Schusser and the late Anne-Marie Hope-Cross.
SOUTHLAND
The Distinction Hotel, Te Anau Tennis Courts, 20-22 Luxmore Dr, Te Anau. 10am. The Distinction Hotels Te Anau Tennis Invitational. Come and see eight of New Zealand’s finest male tennis players battle it out for prize money. General entry $15 and children are free.
Oreti Park Speedway, 190 Sandy Point Rd, Invercargill. 4pm. ILT Firework Extravaganza. The club’s biggest action-packed event of the year with all grades running for Christmas champs and to top of the night with our big firework display. Tickets prices for adults $25 and Children under 15 $5. Fundraising for I Am Hope.
Te Hikoi Museum and Information Centre, 172 Palmerston St, Riverton Aparima. 10am-4pm. "Violet’s Scarf — The Exhibition". Unravel Violet Cloughley’s remarkable tale of synchronicity and WWI connection through the exquisite watercolour illustrations of Violet’s Scarf — a best selling children’s book. Ticket price $3 or included in usual $9 museum entry.
Southland Woodworkers Guild, 5 Mary St, Invercargill. 10am-3pm. Head along to the Southland Woodworkers Guild showrooms, browse a selection of woodcraft and perhaps you’ll find that elusive gift you’ve been looking for. Cash only please. Free entry.
Mores Scenic Reserve, Kings Track, 163 Richard St, Riverton Aparima. Daytime. A chance for you and your family to wonder through and enjoy the magic our community and surrounds have created for you. The Magical Christmas doors of Riverton will be up until Sunday during the day. Gold coin donation.
Eastern Southland Gallery, 14 Hokonui Dr, Gore. 10am-4.30pm. Edward Bullmore: "The London Years" exhibition. Free entry.
10am-4.30pm. Bev Moon "Fortune" Exhibition. Free entry. "Fortune" by artist Bev Moon is a yum cha feast created lovingly from wool.
Fleck’s Hall, 160 Palmerston St, Riverton Aparima. 10am-4pm. "A Brush with Art". "A Brush with Art" is an exhibition including paintings and mixed-medium items created by emerging artists who are members of the Aparima Art Group. Free entry.
