Wild Dunedin festival director Jeannie Hayden said this year’s theme of "whenua" was a chance to look more closely at "the earth and the soil — all the creatures that live in it — and how looking after the soil can benefit us, human beings".
There would be a lot of gardening events — "but it’s not really show gardens".
"It’s more hands-on learning about how you can grow at home."
In its eighth year, the festival would expand this year from a week-long festival to 10 days so as to take in two weekends and cover most of the school holidays.
There would be about 100 events from April 14 to April 23 in the programme, with many family-focused.
The festival partnered with local eco-tourism operations Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours, Larnach Castle, Otago Peninsula Trust, and Orokonui Ecosanctuary.
Otago Museum hosted many events, including the annual seven-by-seven talks where seven culture, art, or science-based speakers had seven minutes to win over the crowd on opening night.
The following day children’s entertainer Suzy Cato would appear with the combined Otepoti Schools Choir to perform as the Wild Dunedin Choir.
Weather permitting on the penultimate day, Earth Day, April 22, three artists and art educators would host an "art play day" at Chingford Park, where people of all ages would create environmental art, a large sculpture out of leaves in the park.
If successful, the leaves would ultimately be blown away or mown up by a Dunedin City Council parks maintenance crew, she said.
But there would be a video created as a record as well.
"It’s really about getting people together and to connect with nature and to have fun at the same time," she said.
