Events

Community Development —

Upcoming events in Dunedin

If you have an upcoming event to share in the Pānui, please email community@dcc.govt.nz

You can also find and add your own events at Events calendar - Dunedin City Council.

If you're looking for a community venue, please visit Community facilities/venues in Dunedin - Dunedin City Council, you can also add venues to our Community Facilities / Venues Register.

Otago Polyfest

This year is Otago Polyfest's 30th Anniversary.  Come and join in on one, two or all the festivities.

For more information and the programme, please see the attachments at the end of this section or go to the Otago Polyfest Facebook page.

Invitation to Photography Workshops

The Dunedin / Ōtepoti community are invited to view our ‘Boundless’ photographic exhibition and participate in photographic workshops at the Dunedin Community Gallery between 12 and 20 September, 2023.

For more information, please see the attachments at the end of this section.

'Meet the Candidate' evening 

  • Date: Thursday, 14 September
  • Time: 7pm - 9pm
  • Venue: Taieri Rugby Club, 35 Reid Avenue

NZ is governed by representative democracy. That means that we decide who we want to represent us and our interests when decisions are made at local and central government level. We select representatives (aka politicians) through the elections process, so ensure you are enrolled to vote and are well informed.

The Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board by-election voting opens on Thursday, 14 September and closes at midday on Friday, 6 October 2023.

Candidates for the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board by-election in attendance are:

  • Austen Banks
  • Amy Taylor
  • Rebecca Shepherd
  • Trish McCarthy
  • Kimberlee Wallace (video presentation)

Some General Election candidates for the Taieri Electorate will also be in attendance. This is your chance to hear what they have to say on polices, what they stand for and get to ask them questions.

Forum Theatre Workshop

A two day training workshop being delivered by Forum Theatre expert Adrian Jackson.

  • Date: Saturday, 16 and Sunday, 17 September
  • Time: 9am - 5pm
  • Costs: $40

For more information and to register, please see the flyer at the end of this section.

Family Fun Day

  • Date: Sunday, 17 September
  • Time: 11am - 3pm
  • Venue: Wakari Scout Hall

MS Otago are hosting a public family fun day. There will be plenty of fun and free activities including carnival games, arts and crafts, a sausage sizzle and live performances. There will also be raffles and a sales table to help raise funds for the vital work that MS Otago does.

For more information please see the flyer at the end of this section.

Safe Driving Workshops for Seniors - Mosgiel

Age Concern Otago have two Free, Staying Safe senior driving workshops coming up and I would appreciate if you could spread the word to your clients and networks. The workshop also includes refreshments and a light lunch.

  • Date: Wednesday, 20 September
  • Time: 9.30am - 1pm
  • Venue: Mosgiel Seniors Hall, 5 Hartstonge Avenue

Staying Safe is a Waka Kotahi workshop that refreshers senior drivers of their skills and local knowledge in a friendly and welcoming workshop. It enables drivers to understanding ageing and driving; access and adapt their behaviour; understand changes in rules and road environment. Attendees also can receive a 30 minute on road coaching session from DCC Road Safety.

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section.

Kia tau te Rangimarie ki a koutou - query Aotearoa 2023

Join us for our 20th Annual Open Peace Lecture featuring a conversation with Dr Jenny Te Paa Daniel and three panel members representing the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths. It will conclude with a question and answer session followed by supper at All Saints’ Anglican Church. All are welcome!

  • Date: Thursday, 21 September
  • Time: 6.45pm - 8.15pm
  • Venue: St David's Lecture Theatre

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section.

Alzheimers Awareness Month

  • Date: Thursday, 21 September
  • Time: 7pm
  • Venue: Dunningham Suite, Dunedin Public Library
  • Costs: Entry by koha

Alzheimers Otago presents a public talk by Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Otago School of Medicine and A.O. Board member, Yoram Barak SuperAgers: What can we learn from them?

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section. RSVP to still.me@alzheimersotago.org.nz.

Community Connecting BBQ

  • Date: Thursday, 21 September
  • Time: 1pm - 3pm
  • Venue: Activity Centre, 2 Calder Street

Able Minds is having a community connecting BBQ - open day during mental health awareness week and would like to invite everyone along to connect with others and have the opportunity to leave a message of hope on our newly established Hope Trees.

For more information, please see the flyer at the end of this section.

Community Empowerment Programme

Dunedin Pakistan Society invites you to join them for their first Community Session on Mental Health and Wellbeing.

  • Date: Friday, 22 September
  • Time: 6pm - 8pm
  • Venue: OUSA Clubs and Society Room - 02

For more information please see to flyer at the end of this section and to register please go to Mental Health and Wellbeing Session google doc.

Port Chalmers Seafood Festival 2023

The biennial Port Chalmers Seafood Festival is Dunedin's own slice of kai moana heaven.

  • Date: Saturday, 30 September
  • Time: 11am - 5pm
  • Venue: Shed A, Port Otago

Nothing matches a day out with mates, a nice drop and some fresh feeds, than high quality kiwi music. The Port Chalmers Seafood Festival has great acts ranging from The Phoenix Foundation through to local legends Tahu and the Takahes.

Be sure to grab one of the transport options from town and enjoy a day that celebrates the ocean that has supported the local region since long before Port Chalmers itself was established.

For more information please go to the Seafood Festival website.

East Otago Community Fete

  • Date: Saturday, 30 September
  • Time: 10am - 2pm
  • Venue: East Otago Events Centre, Main Road, Waikouaiti

Raffles, Artisan stalls, Flower show, community displays, entertainment and more. Winner of the TV show Blow Up Pippity-Pop Balloon artists is onsite from 11am - 1pm.

Ōtepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival

  • Date: 5 - 15 October
  • Venue: Various

The Ōtepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival will be a fun-filled festival celebrating all aspects of Ōtepoti Dunedin’s heritage, and the remarkable transformations that have shaped our city over time. The Festival runs from 5-15 October with the theme "Growing Heritage" and has something for all ages!

Explore heritage buildings, and learn about how they have been preserved, restored and repurposed. Enjoy an evening of rapid-fire storytelling presented by local experts or a special series called ‘Talks After 5pm’ which will showcase local historians and experts as they share their research.

There are lots of events to get involved with including the kids! Dress up for a vintage family picnic to celebrate the Botanic Gardens 160th Birthday, or help to showcase our city’s unique historic buildings by entering our photo competition. Create your own piece of Minecraft “In the Depths of Ōtepoti" Heritage world, or have a go at Lego Spike at the historic Gasworks Museum, or learn how to share stories through Wikipedia workshops.

There are walking tours, building tours, and exhibitions - make sure you get in quick as some events may sell out quickly!

For more information please go to the Southern Heritage Trust website for all the details and keep up to date with all things festival on their Facebook page.

Safe Driving Workshops for Seniors - Dunedin

Age Concern Otago have two Free, Staying Safe senior driving workshops coming up and I would appreciate if you could spread the word to your clients and networks. The workshop also includes refreshments and a light lunch.

  • Date: Wednesday, 18 October
  • Time: 9.30am - 1pm
  • Venue: South Dunedin Community Hall, Great King Street

Staying Safe is a Waka Kotahi workshop that refreshers senior drivers of their skills and local knowledge in a friendly and welcoming workshop. It enables drivers to understanding ageing and driving; access and adapt their behaviour; understand changes in rules and road environment. Attendees also can receive a 30 minute on road coaching session from DCC Road Safety.

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section.

Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival 2023

The Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival is a biennial three-day celebration of writers, readers, books and poetry. Booklovers in Aotearoa’s first UNESCO City of Literature are once again preparing to gather around the ancient fire of story. 2023 Programme guests include Witi Ihimaera, Fiona Farrell, Emily Writes, Poet Laureate Chris Tse, Coco Solid, Lynn Freeman and Stacey Morrison among many talented local and travelling creatives. 

For more information and to get tickets, please go to the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival website.

Women's Multicultural Connection Group

Ready to connect with amazing women from diverse cultures? Looking for a safe space to forge new connections and share experiences? Look no further!

  • Date: Every Thursday
  • Time: 1pm - 2.30pm
  • Venue: Downe's Room, Mosgiel Library

Whether you're a local or a newcomer, embrace the richness of different cultures and create new friendships as we come together to provide support, understanding, and friendship. This is an all-inclusive, safe space for women to learn from each other, celebrate diversity, and build a stronger, united community.

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section.

Recycle a Device

Anyone can learn how to fix computer equipment, you don't need any special skills, just a bit of know-how! Come along to this workshop where we'll teach you how to refurbish a laptop in a day, and then you can take that laptop home with you to use for school, work, job seeking and everyday life.

This one day workshop by Recycle A Device is free for rangatahi aged between 12-30yo, simply register and head along to Otago Polytech on Saturday 30 September. Places are strictly limited to 20 and priority is given to those who do not currently have a laptop but would love one to unlock the possibilities of the digital world!

For more information, please see the attachment at the end of this section.

Migration to Otago

Each month, Toitū and the Centre for Global Migrations invite different speakers to highlight the stories of Otago's wide and varying migrant history. From early Māori-European encounters to modern refugees, and everyone in between this series will barely break the surface on our region's rich history of migration.

For more information on dates and speakers, please got to the University of Otago website.

2023 Heart and Soil Garden Project

A Dunedin Multicultural Council and Musselburgh School Partnership, growing your own herbs and vegetables and learning about growing food in New Zealand.

  • Date: Every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month
  • Time: 10am - 12noon
  • Venue: Musselburgh School grounds, cnr Culling and Auld Streets

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section.

Business South

For a list of all the events, please go to the Business South website.

Regent Theatre

For a list of all the events, please go to the Regent Theatre website.