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Celebrate the end of winter and arrival of spring by taking part in entertainment and events amid the glorious spring flowers, colour and fragrance at Wellington’s annual Spring Festival. 

The Spring Festival 2010 runs from from 18 September to 3 October 2010. See the programme below.

The two-week festival has plenty for everyone with over 30 events and activities. It kicks off with the Otari-Wilton's Bush Open Day and plant sale on Saturday 18 September and on 26 September features the ever-popular Tulip Sunday at the Wellington Botanic Garden – which fittingly coincides with the start of daylight saving.

Revel in the glorious colours and fragrance of spring flowers at the Wellington Botanic Garden. As well as seeing more than 25,000 tulips, other spring flowers including magnolias, cherries, rhododendrons and azaleas will also be blooming.

This year’s festival activities for kids include tree climbing, craft and storytelling sessions, a spring star show at Carter Observatory, Fairy Trina and a visit from zoo critters and their keepers. Adults get their turn too with workshops on growing your own vegetables, botanical art displays, expert guided walks and informative talks.

In a first, Spring Festival is also spreading downtown with lunchtime entertainment in Grey Street and Kirkcaldie & Stains on Lambton Quay including performances by the Wellington Ukulele Collective, urban poetry, the delightful sounds of Poppy Dust, the New Zealand School of Music Jazz Vocal ensemble and Big Band Two, led by Rodger Fox, who will be playing at the Cable Car lookout.

Top arborists climb to dizzying heights in a spectacular regional tree climbing competition and the festival wraps up with an orchid show and ukulele workshop and concert on Sunday 3 October - no experience necessary, just bring your uke and enthusiasm!

Getting to the festival is easy on a No. 3 bus and you can take a free ride on the Wellington Cable Car to the Botanic Garden between midday and 2pm by presenting the coupon from the festival brochure.

Events are at the Wellington Botanic Garden and Otari-Wilton's Bush, many are free, though some have a small charge, and bookings are required in some cases.

Spring Festival is proudly brought to you by Wellington City Council, with generous support from the NZ Community Trust, Kirkcaldie & Stains and the Wellington Cable Car.

How to get to Wellington Botanic Garden:

Cable Car – from Cable Car Lane, just off Lambton Quay, departs every 10 minutes.
No. 3 Karori bus – from Lambton Quay, stops outside the Founders’ Entrance, Glenmore Street.
Walking – the most popular route is from The Terrace through the historic and beautiful Bolton Street Memorial Park and takes about 15 minutes to the Begonia House.

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Dowload a copy of the Spring Festival 2010 Programme [PDF,  1MB]

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