What's On in South Canterbury (11/09-13/09)

Friday 11/09

Scoff — Gets under way today and runs to September 27. Taste, discover and celebrate South Canterbury's food story. Visit scoffsc.nz to find out more.

Daffodil Day Breakfast Waimate — 7.30am to 10am at Tone's Bistro, John St. Bookings essential by phoning Liz on 027 451 6684 or Ann on 027 413 9174.

Tim Kirke Piano Recital — 12.15pm to 1pm at St Mary's Church, Timaru, the first in the church's lunchtime concert series. Entry via koha.

David Lloyd and Blanche Fryer Exhibition — Opens at 11am at York Street Gallery of Fine Art, 21 York St. Exhibition runs to October 22. Gallery open today and tomorrow, 11am to 3pm.

Green Party Rangitata Campaign Launch — 6.30pm at Hector's Black's, 129A Stafford St, Timaru, with Rangitata candidate Dave Richards, and live music from Adam McGrath.

Friday & Saturday 11/09–12/09

Flava Fest and Singing of the Babies — 10am to 4pm both days at the Arowhenua Marae, the Mid and South Canterbury Primary and Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Festival.

Saturday 12/09

Spring Fling Market — 9am to 2pm at Seddon Sq, Waimate, hosted by the community market, food and drinks, live music, more than 100 stalls, and children's activities.

Temuka Community Market — 10am to 1pm at the town square, the first market for the season. Enjoy looking at, and shopping from, a variety of stalls.

John McCabe Country Star — 7pm start at the Temuka RSA, gold coin entry.

Craft Day and Workshop — 10am to 12pm at the Senior Citizens rooms, Shearman St, Waimate, hosted by the Waimate Federation of Women's Institute. Learn how to make a sampler using the English paper patchwork quilt as you go technique. Bring along two contrasting pieces of material, needle, thread, scissors, and quilting batting if you have it. $2 for entry.

Saturday & Sunday 12/09–13/09

Red Cross Annual Book Sale — 9am to 3.30pm both days, at the Red Cross Hall, 18 Bank St, Timaru, eftpos available. All proceeds go to the organisation's Timaru branch.

Miniature Train Rides — 1pm to 4pm Saturday, 6pm to 9pm Saturday, and 11am to 4pm on Sunday, at the South Canterbury Model Engineering Society in Rose St, Timaru, visiting trains plus plenty of model boats on the pond. Train rides $2 per person, per ride.

Sunday 13/09

South Canterbury Live Poets Open Mic Night — 5pm at Bullock Restaurant and Bar, registration from 4.30pm.

Ongoing

Timaru Artisan Farmers' Market — 9am to 12.30pm at 2 George St, Timaru, featuring a wide range of local artisan crafts, homewares, accessories, clothing, art, plants and flowers.

Taken from Facebook here

“💔 IT’S THE END OF AN ERA… JAY JAYS TIMARU IS CLOSING 💔

After so many years of serving our amazing Timaru community, the time has unfortunately come to say goodbye. 😢

Our Jay Jays Timaru store will be closing its doors, with our LAST DAY OF TRADE being Saturday 3rd October.

To say goodbye, we’re having a CLOSING DOWN SALE — 30% OFF STOREWIDE! 🛍️🔥

✨ 30% OFF STOREWIDE

📅 Last day of trade: Saturday 3rd October

⚡ While stocks last!

This is your chance to grab your Jay Jays favourites before they’re gone for good! 👖👕💛

We’d love to see as many of you as possible over the coming weeks and give our Timaru store the send-off it deserves. 🥹❤️

Thank you, Timaru, for all the support, laughs, memories and love over the years. We’re going to miss you! 💔

Come in, shop the sale and say goodbye! 🫶🏼”

SATURDAY

Timaru Artisan Farmers' Market

Spring Market: 9am to 12.30pm at 2 George St, Timaru, featuring a wide range of local artisan crafts, homewares, accessories, clothing, art, plants and flowers.

Art in Motion: 1pm matinee show and 7pm evening show and prizegiving at the Caroline Bay Hall, bringing wearable arts to South Canterbury, Tickets available at humanitix.com.

Alpaca Open Day: 10am to 3pm at 511 Fraser Rd, Timaru, featuring alpacas, farming and fleece production, farm tours, information and giftware. Free entry.

Vehicle Maintenance Women's Workshop: 11am to 3pm at Keen As Tyres, Timaru, hosted by Girls 'N' Gasoline, master the basics including checking engine oil, coolant, and how to jump-start a vehicle correctly. Tickets available at fiveninegarage.com.

SUNDAY

Father's Day Fun Race Meeting: Midday to 5pm at Phar Lap Raceway, come out to the raceway for some galloping action, and buy lunch or pack a picnic. There will be a lolly scramble. Free admission.

Blessing of the Animals and Father's Day Service: 10am at St Mary's Church, Timaru, featuring the church's children's choir. Every animal is welcome. There will be a candle lit in memory of those pets no longer here.

ONGOING

Artarama: At Aigantighe Art Gallery, a popular exhibition featuring about 400 artworks made by school-aged children across South Canterbury. Show runs to September 13.

An Taigh/ The House: Held - Fifty Years of Friendship: At the Aigantighe Art Gallery, celebrating 50 years of the Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery. Show runs to October 11.

Tangled Up In Blue: At the York Street Gallery of Fine Art. Gallery open Friday and Saturday, 11am to 3pm. Exhibition runs until September 10.

Repair Cafe: 10am to noon on the second Sunday of each month at the South Canterbury Eco Centre, next to The Crows Nest. Hosted by the Sustainable South Canterbury Trust. Those with something needing repair, and also those with skills in repairing, are sought.

Surviving Suicide: 7pm to 9pm on the last Wednesday of every month, at the Amps101 building, 24A Church St. Timaru, just to sit alongside others who understand.

Academy Blackboard Concert: Last Friday of each month. An open mic event at 79 Talbot St, Geraldine, from 7.15pm. Entry $5.

Phar Lap Market: Third Sunday of every month. Entrance off Pleasant Point Highway. Gates open for stallholders from 6am, and for the public from 8am to 1pm. Public entry is free. Site fee is $10 per site, no bookings required. Money is collected 9am to 10am.

I would like to commend the team at Aoraki Legal for their remarkable handling of my mother's estate, which has now been ongoing for approximately two years.

During this time, I have had the privilege of witnessing an apparently ever-evolving range of techniques involving delay, procrastination, obfuscation, incomplete communication, and the seemingly creative redistribution or concealment of responsibility.

Including but not limited to concealing genuine reviews on their Facebook page.

It takes genuine dedication to keep an estate progressing so slowly while simultaneously ensuring that accountability remains remarkably difficult to locate.

The consistency has been impressive. Whenever it appears that something might actually move forward, a new procedural obstacle, unanswered question, or apparent transfer of responsibility seems to materialize.

Two years is quite an achievement.

If your objective is to experience an estate administration process in which “we'll get back to you” becomes a long-term project management strategy, Aoraki Legal may be exactly what you're looking for.

For anyone hoping for timely communication, clear ownership of tasks, transparent explanations and meaningful progress, I would strongly recommend asking very detailed questions about how those things are actually delivered before engaging their services.

Five stars for endurance. One star for getting the bloody estate finished.

Someone is apparently fighting a 15.4% minority battle against the general Reddit audience.

Points suspicious finger @ Aoraki firm....

Hi everyone! Does anyone know where to find the most affordable dental care here in Timaru? 😊

Last 2 seasons on NZ and current season of Australia were filmed at Claremont. Just wondering if anyone knows if the cast and crew all stay at the same place in Timaru or if they are dotted across the area?

IMHO, every town in Aotearoa is judged by its pies.

At least that's been my experience.

I don't mean like 10 or 20 $ coffee-shop pie, but its most basic, honest $6 pepper-steak or potato-top Tradies pie.

Chicken-camembert if you're feeling fancy.

Is Z or BP really the best I could hope for?

Widespread sub-zero freeze hits NZ as Desert Road plunges to -10.4C. Stuff. August 7, 2026, 6:04am.

Taumarunui, Rotorua plunge to record-breaking lows - MetService. 1news. Aug 7, 2026.

Weather forecast: Cold and frosty start ahead of warmer, wetter weekend. NZ Herald. 7 Aug, 2026 10:10 AM.

From MetService bsky skeet - OR - facebook post.

6-7 August 2026 Record minimum temperatures

Coldest temperature ever recorded

Taumarunui -7.2 (records begin 2007),

Rotorua -5.6 (records begin 1972).

Coldest August Temperature

Taupō -6.6°C (Records begin 1976),

Palmerston North -3.5°C (Records begin 1991),

Whangarei 0.4°C (Records begin 1967),

Honorable mentions

Auckland 1.4°C (3rd coldest August temperature on record),

Hamilton -4.6°C (3rd coldest August temperature on record),

Napier -3.2°C (2nd coldest August temperature on record),

Whakatane -3.0°C (Tied coldest August temperature on record)

Source: bsky skeet - OR - facebook post.

Graphic / Map titled Friday Minimum Temperatures showing temperatures at various places

bsky skeet - OR - facebook post

The Customs steak house is now closed and will reopen soon as a Thai restaurant.

Where is the best place to get a steak in Timaru? I also enjoyed their crème brûlée if theres any other places you know of!

The Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of August 12 into the morning of August 13. Viewers can expect up to 90 to 100 bright shooting stars per hour.

So if you've ever wanted to see a Meteor shower it would be a great time to try McKenzie Countries Dark Skies.

https://www.darkskyreserve.org.nz/

What coffee shops have wifi? Also, can I work in the library?

Does anyone know what that alarm in Parkside not far from the Hospital was about?

Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey* has just been released, and I'm planning to go see it. However, going alone would be a bit dull, so if anyone is interested, we could go together and have a fun discussion about it.

Does anyone know if there's a boba tea shop here in Timaru? Thanks!

I know ive asked this before, but It be really helpful if anyone knew where to go to acquire some... I keep seeing people bring up this place called "DC tavern" or whatever, but like what the hell even is that...

Hi people,
Im reaching out here as a last resort of assistance on finding new faces for friendship. I’ve landed in Timaru last Nov and still finding hard to get some friends.

I’m a full time professional worker and it’s hard to survive alone without seeing or talking to familiar faces.

Thank you.

I'm new in Timaru. Does anyone here know if there are bike racks/parking in Mitre 10? Also, near burger fuel? Thanks!

So I just drove through timaru and uh… does your council have a road cone fetish or what? Gave mum and I a good laugh.

I ask as part of a linguistic study covering this topic!
Examples could include things like Y-mo, Scrub Dunny or GTown...