Culture Galore is a multicultural festival that celebrates our city's diversity with food, arts and crafts, and music and dance performances from more than 30 cultures that call Christchurch home.

Visiting Culture Galore

Culture Galore takes place on 17 February 2024 at Ray Blank Park, Maidstone Road, from midday to 4pm. Find out more about the event on What's On(external link).

Each year stage performances range from Japanese drummers to colourful traditional dances and songs from Indonesia, Korea, Philippines, Poland, China, Fiji, Russia, Thailand, Mexico, Bangladesh and many more. 

As well as these amazing performances there is a huge range of have-a-go activities, such as Canterbury Cricket dive mat, flax weaving, face painting, soft archery, bouncy castles, police speed radar, fire evacuation challenge and kitchen fire demonstration.  

Find out more about the performers and stall holders [PDF, 3.3 MB] at Culture Galore 2024. 

Information for stall holders, performers and volunteers

What is Culture Galore?

Culture Galore is a multi-cultural festival that provides an opportunity for different ethnic groups in our community to showcase their culture. This is achieved through performing arts, ethnic food, crafts, demonstrations, sports, games, and language. Culture Galore is a prime opportunity for the people of Christchurch to experience and celebrate the diversity of cultures that exists in our community.

Event organisation

Culture Galore is organised by Christchurch City Council Recreation staff and the Culture Galore Committee. The event is funded by jointly by the Waimāero Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood and Waipuna HalswellHornby-Riccarton Community Boards.

Event format

The event consists of groups performing on a main stage with performances timetabled in 10-minute slots from approximately 12.10pm to 4.00pm.

There are also opportunities for groups to promote their culture through displays, ethnic food stalls, craft stalls and interactive information stalls. There are also a range of children’s entertainment including face painting, Fire NZ fire kitchen, police radar run, bouncy castles, soft archery, and other activities. 

The event includes various groups performing on the main stage, with each performance scheduled for 10 minutes. This will take place from around 12:10 pm to 4:00 pm.

In addition, there are chances for groups to showcase their culture through exhibits, ethnic food stalls, craft stalls, and interactive information stalls. There are also various children's activities available, such as face painting, the Fire NZ fire kitchen, a police radar run, bouncy castles, soft archery, and more.

Performance area

It is essential that performances are a maximum of 10 minutes, including getting on and off the stage.

The stage dimensions are 9m wide x 7.2m deep and 1.2m high. A marquee is available for performers to use as a changing area, with a separate area for males and females.

If you are a performing group, please also provide a brief performance description when you register for the event. If you are unsure of what your performance will be, we will contact you at a later stage for MC notes.

*Please note that there is no guarantee that all groups will be able to perform on the day. We try to include a variety of performances and only have limited spaces.

Active information/craft stalls

Please note that groups are to provide their own shade structure/gazebos/tables/chairs.

Following the positive feedback Culture Galore is again adopting a more active format and encouraging more interactive activities at the event, rather than stationary information stalls.

Spots are limited in this area and groups that register must provide a have-a-go, hands-on activity, games, competitions, or the selling of crafts that are especially related to cultural aspects of your country.

Providing information on services that are relevant to the refugee and migrant community is vital. The CCC information tent can display information resources in the if you wish these to be available at the event. Please note though this is not the forum for promoting political or religious views.

All groups need to supply their own gazebo/chairs. For the few groups that absolutely cannot access their own gazebo a few will be available, and these will be allocated to those who apply first.

For health and safety reasons the activity and craft stalls are located away from food stalls which means groups operating both require people for each stall. There is no site fee for activity or craft stalls.

Food stalls – Please read carefully.

Please note that groups are to provide their own shade structure/gazebos/tables/chairs.

Culture Galore is participating in the Council-led initiative called Composting Food Packaging at Events (CFPE).

Please do not buy any food packages or utensils as the rules are being updated. We will share updated rules on what you can use in early December.

This means that all food packaging handed over to your customers must be from the CFPE approved manual which we will send to you in December. All rubbish is hand-sorted at the event and sent to be composted or recycling.

Everyone who has a food stall must attend a compulsory 60-minute training session on CFPE approved packaging. This training is a one-time requirement if you have completed training before, you do not need to attend again, unless you would like to attend as a refresher. The date is as follows:

  • Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2024
  • Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00pm
  • Location: Fendalton Library and Service Centre - 4 Jeffreys Rd Fendalton.

Helen Miles will be your contact for everything around CFPE so please contact her if you have any questions (9415409 / 027 4907618/helen.miles@ccc.govt.nz). Rachel Dunford from Council or Jaz Etherington from WasteCo will be auditing your packaging onsite before the event, so please remember to either have boxes or receipts with you.

The cost of a standard food stall is $35 and food caravans will be charged $60. Fees will be collected on the day and a receipt given. Each stall will be allocated an area of 5m x 4m, food stalls must provide their own shade structure/gazebo/chairs and tables as well as adhering to all other health regulations.

Electricity is available and groups are asked to state their electricity requirements on the registration form if it is greater than a standard 10amp plug.

For safety reasons, if your group is using electrical devices, they must be tested before the event. All appliances should display a current electrical test tag to ensure they are safe. On the event day, there will be a thorough check, and if your appliances lack these tags, on-site electricians will prevent their use, or you will incur a $15 charge per appliance for testing. Caravans must also follow this process and have an electrical warrant of fitness.

You can get your appliances tested at Electro-Tech Services, 72 Mowbray St (phone: 374 3211) for $5 per appliance or by any qualified electrician.

Stalls should also be aware that power usage must not exceed 10 amps or 2400 watts. Check your appliance, as it will indicate its power consumption. If you have multiple appliances, add up their total watts; if it exceeds 2400, please inform us. Additionally, if you need more power or have a plug different from the standard 10 amps, kindly let us know.

All food groups must acknowledge when they return their registration form that they have read and understand the food health regulations. If you are a moveable premises or a caravan, you must provide a copy of your registration certificate.

* Please note that commercial vendors are not eligible. If there are spaces available after registrations have been received from Community groups, commercial vendors might have an opportunity to be involved.

Registration of interest

If your cultural group is interested in participating, can you fill out the online ‘Registration of Interest’ form no later Friday 8 December 2023. We will be accepting registrations from community groups first.

Car parking

Parking is available at Ray Blank Park for stall holders, volunteers, and performers only this year. There will be NO Public parking. If you are a stall holder, volunteer or a performer please enter the park via Gothic Place. Please do not arrive before 10:00am as electricity connections are still in progress.

For performing groups, a designated area will be roped off. You will receive two parking passes. After your performance, kindly vacate the parking area for the next groups.

Food and information stalls are asked to park behind your stall, or in the main carpark. Please note that
there is no vehicle movement allowed from 11.30am – 4.15pm.

If you have any questions

Please contact:

Lisa Gregory
Community Recreation Advisor
Fendalton Service Centre and Library
Cnr Jeffrey’s and Clyde Road, Fendalton
03 941 6729 / 027 2273064
Email: lisa.gregory@ccc.govt.nz

Helen Miles
Community Recreation Advisor
Riccarton Service Centre
199 Clarence Street, Riccarton
03 941 5409 / 027 4907618
Email: helen.miles@ccc.govt.nz

Event location

Entrance to the park is from Gothic Place at the back of the park

Culture Galore entrance map

More information

If you have any queries, please email lisa.gregory@ccc.govt.nz.

Supported by

Culture Galore is brought to you with the support of the Christchurch City Council and the Waimāero Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood and Waipuna Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Boards.

 

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