When to Go to Christchurch and Canterbury

In summer, Christchurch is especially busy. The Garden City SummerTimes festival runs from New Year's until late February, while mid-January brings the World Buskers Festival; the Festival of Flowers is in February; and the International Jazz & Blues Festival is in late March. The Antarctic Festival is in September or October.

Summer days can be amazingly changeable, while winter's weather is more settled but colder. For skiing and snowboarding, this is the time to come. From the first weekend in June through October you can be assured of snow at Mt. Hutt. Snow on the ground in Christchurch is a rarity.