The organisers of the annual Festival Fours tournament have shifted the event to early January next year in a bid to increase numbers participating in the event.
It has also been reduced from five days to three and will be held from January 3-5 instead of the end of January or early February.
The tournament was first held in 1953 when it was bowls' contribution to Dunedin's annual festival week.
It was organised by the Kaituna Bowling Club for 50 years and has been run by the Kaikorai club for the past five years.
The organiser of the event for the Kaikorai club, Pat O'Dea, explained why the change was made and why the tournament was being played at the same time as the New Zealand championships at Auckland.
"There are usually only a small number of Dunedin bowlers who travel to a national championships in the North Island because of the expense," O'Dea said.
"A lot of local bowlers are on holiday at that time and are keen to play in a meaningful local tournament. They are usually back at work in February."
The event has been reduced to three days because of the feedback from bowlers who have played in recent Festival Fours.
O'Dea said that the changed date for the $10,000 event had proved popular, with teams from Invercargill and Christchurch already entered.
