City full of events for weekend

Dunedin is ready for a bumper Waitangi Day weekend of culture, sport and street festivities.

The three-day break starts on Friday with opportunities for both reflection and celebration across the city.

The Botanic Garden is holding a Whānau Gathering on the Rotunda Lawn. Running from 11am to 1pm, the free event features kapa haka, live music and workshops for tamariki. Organisers encourage attendees to bring a picnic blanket and food trucks will be on site.

The event is a partnership between Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, the Dunedin City Council and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

The CBD becomes the main attraction on Saturday, as the George Street Market returns.

Shoppers can browse stalls from 10am to 5pm, while a new "Eats and Beats" zone on Bath St promises to keep the atmosphere alive until 8pm. Local businesses including The Wayfarer, Amigos and The Swan will serve drinks alongside two stages of live music.

Also on Saturday, sports fans can head to the University of Otago Oval to catch the Otago Volts face the Wellington Firebirds in the Ford Trophy from 10.30am.

History enthusiasts might prefer the "Behind the Ropes" tour at Olveston Historic Home from 3pm to 5pm, offering a closer look at the property’s collection.

On Sunday, people can get creative with a life drawing workshop led by Andrew McCulloch at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.