Key Events – Timaru

The Timaru Festival of Roses is an annual festival held to celebrate the arrival of summer and our city’s close affinity with the rose. The Festival is three days of activities, walks, talks, tours, exhibitions and displays, art, theatre and of course plenty of roses.

Caroline Bay will come alive with an afternoon of tasty food and beverage. Sample and enjoy a range of beer & cider from regional and local producers along with great music.

The South Island Masters Games comes to Timaru every second year and is a sporting and social experience not to be missed. Proving age is no barrier to enjoying sport, the Games feature a wide range of activities and attract thousands of competitors from across country.

The Coastal is a celebration of scenery, challenge, and community – with a rolling course that starts and finishes at the iconic Caroline Bay. It’s a unique running and walking event, with 5km, 10km, and Half Marathon options, each offering running and walking categories.    

SCOFF is 17 day festival in September celebrating South Canterbury’s outstanding food; the eateries, the growers, producers, and artisan creators, from the Pacific Ocean to Aoraki/Mount Cook.

The Timaru CBD Matariki Night Market sees Timaru’s main street transformed into a celebration for this special time in the Māori calendar.

Rally South Canterbury is part of the NZ Rally Championship, this event attracts the country’s best drivers.

The Illuminate Light and Sound Experience showcases a range of spectacular light and sound displays. An out-of-this-world walk through light experience.

The Caroline Bay Rock and Hop is organised by The Hospice South Canterbury and is a show for all cars, caravans and motorbikes — from modern to vintage, from classic to muscle, from Japanese to English. This show is for everyone.

A celebration of all things summer, the Seaside Festival takes place at Caroline Bay showcasing sand sculpture, rides, inflatables, movies, and huge fabulous kites.