Surf's up for Santa as fun season makes a splash

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas with a seaside parade, carols and pool parties on the weekend events list.

Santa is set to make a splash at New Brighton on Saturday.

New Brighton Seaside Christmas Parade

New Brighton gets into the Christmas groove this weekend with its annual Christmas parade and concert.

Santa will arrive by boat on New Brighton Beach (between the pier and the surf club) at 10.15am on Saturday and then the parade will start from the corner of Marine Parade and Hawke Street.

The parade will be followed by a concert and an opportunity for kids to visit Santa in his grotto.

New Brighton’s popular market will also be on from 10am to 2pm, offering a huge array of arts, crafts, giftware and delicious food. The will be a bouncy castle for the kids as well as free face painting.

Tots and Toddlers Party

Waltham Summer Pool is hosting a Tots and Toddlers Party on Sunday between 10am and noon. There will be a farm yard, dry inflatables, music and a hydration station thanks to More FM. The hydroslide will also be free to use. Admission costs $6 for adults and $3.50 for children.

Linwood Pool

The community will get a chance to have a sneak peek at what the new Linwood Pool could look like on Saturday. A community event at Linwood Park has been organised to show people design sketches of the facility and to get their feedback. There will be a sausage sizzle and lots of fun activities for the whole family. Come along between 1pm and 4pm.

Jellie Park outdoor pool opens

Jellie Park's outdoor pool and outdoor hydroslide opens on Saturday after being closed for repairs. With forecasters predicting a warm and sunny weekend for Christchurch, why not head along there for some fun in the water. 

EcoSort Open Day

An open day at the EcoSort at 21 Parkhouse Road, Sockburn, on Saturday will lift the lid on recycling the right way. People are being invited to drop into EcoSort between 9am and noon to hear about the journey of the contents of their yellow bins – from kerbside pick-up to the processing facility and beyond. People can also get on board and check out the recycling truck or snap up the prizes and giveaways on offer while enjoying the charity sausage sizzle.

Music at Tūranga

Once upon a time libraries were quiet places. Not any more. On Saturday, the new central library, Tūranga, will reverberate with harmonious sounds as groups from the Christchurch School of Music perform. There will be orchestras playing, choirs singing, bands trumpeting, and much more. The groups will be performing from spaces within the library and also from a large marquee outside between 11am and 3pm. You can also try an instrument yourself between 1.30pm and 3pm in the TSB Space.

Carols@Riccarton Bush

Give your vocal cords a tune-up and get into the Christmas spirit at Carols@Riccarton Bush. The Addington Brass Band will be providing the music so come along and enjoy some of your favourite Christchurch carols in the picturesque grounds of Riccarton House. The carols start at 6.30pm.

Handel’s Messiah

The Christchurch City Choir returns to St Margaret’s College for its annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, conducted by Dr John Linker and accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

This perennial favourite will be brought to life with help from international soloists, including New Zealand's celebrated tenor Simon O'Neill and mezzo Heather Johnson, direct from the New York Metropolitan Opera. 

Tickets for the Saturday night performance are available on Eventfinda.