Christchurch families can look forward to a weekend of Easter-themed activities, with everything from bunny hunts and arts and crafts to classical music and environmental education on offer.
At the Christchurch Gondola, children can join the Easter Bunny Hunt on Friday and Saturday. Young visitors will receive a form at the Base Station reception before riding up to the Summit Station to hunt for hidden bunnies and letters. Once they’ve unscrambled the Easter word, they can trade their completed form for a sweet Easter treat. While the bunny hunt is free to enter, standard Gondola ticket prices apply.
In the central city, the Arts Centre’s April school holiday programme features a hands-on Easter craft event run by Paint & Sip Studio. For $20, children can decorate a mini flowerpot “basket” and make Easter-themed fridge magnets before taking part in an egg hunt through the historic precinct. They’ll return to the Great Hall to collect their rewards. Sessions are running throughout the weekend.
Families interested in combining creativity with conservation can visit the Christchurch Botanic Gardens on Saturday between 10am and 1pm. The “Sock Bunny Heroes” workshop teaches children about the environmental impact of rabbits on native ecosystems. Kids will learn while crafting their own sock bunny to take home – and are encouraged to bring an old sock if they have one.
Over in New Brighton, the Easter festivities continue on Saturday with a lively seaside celebration.
The New Brighton Seaside Market and The Fairy Collective are hosting their annual Easter Market at 25 Brighton Mall. A highlight will be the massive Easter Egg Hunt, kicking off at 11am, with under-5s getting a head start. The event is sponsored by Lara Higgs from Left Hand Path and promises fun for the whole family.
On Easter Monday, Arion Farm Education Park is putting on a big celebration at 890 McLeans Island Road in Harewood. The Easter Event 2025 will run from 10am to 3pm and feature Easter egg hunts, princesses, free bouncy castles and face painting, pony rides, food stalls, and plenty of animals for children to meet. Entry is free, and the day promises non-stop family fun in a farm park setting.
For those seeking a more contemplative experience, the CBS Choir and Orchestra will perform Bach’s St John Passion on Good Friday at the Catholic Pro-Cathedral. The 90-minute concert, beginning at 8pm, features soloists Nicola Holt, Jessica Wells, Ken Joblin, Wally Enright, and Chris Whelan, with Adrian Lowe as Evangelist. Directed by Don Whelan, the performance costs $25–$30 and offers a powerful musical retelling of Christ’s final hours.
