Members of the Onyx Militaires under 18 marching team performed for friends and family before flying to the Gold Coast for the inaugural 2023 Australia and New Zealand Drill Dance and Marching Tattoo in July. : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

The Year of the Rabbit was welcomed in with dancing dragons, a parade and cultural performances at Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Gardens in January. : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

Dina Tukhvatulina, 12, made the most of an opportunity to experiment with makeup at the Dunedin Pride’s first Make-Up Club gathering in March. : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

Albatrosses appear to fly across Otago Harbour in my favourite photo taken at the Matariki Mana Moana event at the Steamer Basin in July. The performances included a magical mix of new films by local, national and international indigenous artists,... : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

The six colourful clown-costumed singers at a dress rehearsal in May are members of the University Sextet. They are continuing a near century-long tradition of entertaining Capping Show audiences with irreverent, risque and satirical lyrics set to the... : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

Rohana Weaver stands alongside a giant caterpillar she made for the Enchanted Forest-themed Midwinter Carnival at First Church in June. : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

Chosen Ratima, 12, was impressive as he performed with Brockville Full Primary School Ngā Manu Tiōriōri o Whakaari at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin in September as part of the opening night of the 30th Otago Polyfest. The group was among 140 local and... : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson

I met Ceaser Smith and Will Parfitt in the Octagon, with their manager, who asked if he could take some video of the photoshoot as one of them had a bit of a following on social media ... no problem. We got over the initial awkwardness & had a few... : Photos of the year: Linda Robertson