A week-long party to celebrate 150 years since the creation of the Oamaru Town Board began in earnest yesterday with a picnic at the Oamaru Public Gardens and will finish with residents rocking out with Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei.
Oamaru was officially proclaimed a town in December 1862 and to allow the public a chance to celebrate the town's birthday, local artist Donna Demente has organised a week of events.
Ms Demente said she had been inspired by the Arrowtown 150th celebrations earlier in the year.
''We really wanted to do something to celebrate it. It is our 150th after all, so we made a series of events to get people together.
''150 is quite a significant birthday and we wanted to do something specifically to acknowledge that.''
Events, including public barbecues, a screening of film footage from the 1962 centennial celebrations and an ''end of the world party'' on December 21, would conclude with a 1960s-themed music concert, which would see Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei's ukulele rock band perform its first professional gig at The Grainstore Gallery and Birdlands Winebar on Sunday.
