Teddies come out to play in Rolleston

Teddy bear lovers were enjoying the sunshine with their cuddly companions today.

Teddies of all shapes and sizes came out in droves for the Teddy Bears' Picnic at Rolleston's Brookside Park.

The annual event was organised by the Selwyn District Council.

Senior advisor community funding and events Stefanie Banbury said the popular festival has grown over the past decade, and expected up to 2,000 people this year.

"We've got all sorts of teddies, we've got big ones, we've got small ones, and we've even got some real life teddies here as well. Lucky to have Pooh Bear Live come along."

The annual celebration of teddy bears is part of a busy summer season for the Selwyn District Council.

"It's part of our 'Summer in Selwyn' series of events. So we've got over 40 events happening between December and February and this is one of our key events."

Banbury said this year's event was the first in their Selwyn Event Sustainability Initiative with people encouraged to bring along their reusable mugs to win prizes.

"We have a diverse range of food choices carefully crafted by vendors committed to eco-friendly practices and the dedicated team of bin ambassadors from Without Waste (WOW) are also back to guide people in sorting their waste, contributing towards making a positive environmental impact."

A range of entertainment and activities were enjoyed by picnic guests throughout the day, with some exhausted teddies looking forward to a good sleep.

- By Geoff Sloan, made with the support of NZ On Air