Presented by the Southern Heritage Trust, the Heritage Festival runs from November 19 to 21, under Covid-19 restrictions.
Trust member Ann Barsby said the festival would be an opportunity to celebrate not only the city’s remarkable built heritage, but also the imaginative and sustainable adaptive reuse of many buildings.
A classic example of clever reuse was Hanover Hall, which had started out as a Baptist church, eventually became a night club and now served as the beautifully renovated headquarters of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Mrs Barsby said.
Hanover Hall will play a central role in the Heritage Festival, hosting the festival symposium, which will run from 9am to noon on Friday, November 19.
‘‘We are very happy that Hanover Hall is going to be showcased during the symposium, as it is just such a fantastic redevelopment, ’’ she said.
After the 9am opening, the symposium will feature a range of speakers and topics, beginning with heritage consultant Jeremy Moyle, of Origin Consultants, who will discuss ‘‘the greenest building is the one that’s already built’’.
Fellow guest speakers will include Origin Consultants Dunedin manager Andrew Barsby discussing St Dominic’s Priory; architectural designer Evan Wood on the human response to heritage; South Dunedin Future engagement adviser Ian Telfer on the past and future of the area; and Otago Polytechnic Associate Prof Tobias Danielmeier on new heritage and cultural discourse.
Interested people can participate in part or all of the morning’s presentations.
Mrs Barsby said the Otepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival would also offer a chance to engage with the city’s exceptional heritage through tours, talks, exhibitions and historic buildings open to the public.
‘‘The festival is full of chances to explore the buildings we walk past every day, and to hear about the future of sustainable conservation from passionate building owners and experts.’’
A featured event will be the prestigious Lawson Lecture, to be presented by Toitu OSM curator Sean Brosnahan, on the topic of ‘‘The Nitty Gritty History’’, from 5.30pm at Hanover Hall.
Other festival events will include visits to the Armstrong disappearing gun on Otago Peninsula; a vintage-themed afternoon tea and presentation of the festival Bluestone Award; an industrial and civic art exhibition at Bellamy’s Gallery; and a Waikouaiti Coast Heritage Centre tour.
The Otepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival has been adapted to comply with Covid-19 Alert Level 2 guidelines.
Numbers are limited and bookings are essential for all activities — most events are free with optional koha.
For the full programme and bookings, visit www.southernheritage.org.nz/heritage-festival
