It’s on, Cityscapers: summer is officially here, and we are officially pumped for some toe-tapping, lip-smacking, sunshiney good times at the many awesome festivals lined up in and around Christchurch this summer.

Take a little roadie out to the sun-soaked hills of Waipara this New Year’s and party on down to some of the best drum & bass, dubstep and hip hop musicians at Rolling Meadows. This multi-genre festival will be held at the picturesque Bone Line Winery from Thursday 30 December to Saturday 1 January.

There’s nothing to start the year off with a bang like some sweet live tunes, and on Saturday January 15, L.A.B and Shapeshifter are more than bringing the goods. These two powerhouse Kiwi bands are joining forces for an unbeatably epic concert in Hagley Park, and with names like Ladi6, Katchafire and JessB also on the bill, this is a helluva way to welcome 2022.

Let’s all just agree to agree on this one – nothing says summer quite like drinking a cold beer on a sunny afternoon. At The Great Kiwi Beer Festival you can really tap into those ultimate summer vibes, with over 40 craft brewers convening on Hagley Park on Saturday 29 January for a delicious celebration of food, music, and really good beer.

On the subject of celebrating food and drink, the South Island Wine & Food Festival should definitely be on your summer festivals must-do list. Held in Hagley Park on Saturday 5 February, you’ll be drooling over wine seminars and cooking demonstrations, grooving to live music, and indulging in unbeatable noms from gourmet food producers, local restaurants and leading Central Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough wineries.

Back on the music scene, Nostalgia Festival takes us back to the good old days at Ferrymead Heritage Park on Saturday 12 February. This all-day festival has a ton of interesting craft and artisan stalls, heaps of yummy food, and music by Don McGlashan, Reb Fountain, Mousey and more. Then on Sunday 13 February, the Violent Femmes will take the stage at Isaac Theatre Royal, transporting us to the 80s with hits like the indomitable ‘Blister in the Sun’.

One of the keystones on Christchurch’s summer festival calendar is of course Electric Avenue, taking over Hagley Park on Saturday 26 February with carnival rides, food trucks galore, and 12 hours of incredible tunes from the likes of Sub Focus, BENEE, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Supergroove, The Black Seeds and electro-orchestral spectacular Synthony. And ringing in the start of autumn is Lincoln music institution Selwyn Sounds on Saturday 5 March at Lincoln Domain, headlined by Jimmy Barnes, Jon Stevens and Stellar*.

As summer winds down, there’s still a few essential dates to note on the calendar. At the North Canterbury Wine and Food Festival, you can spend a ‘laxed afternoon celebrating local harvesters, Kiwi music, and the district’s famous food and drink in Glenmark Domain, Waipara on Sunday 6 March. Everyone’s favourite botanical spirit also gets its time in the sun with Gindulgence, a tribute to Aotearoa’s best artisan gin producers at Ilam Homestead from Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 March. And the much-loved SIX60 Saturdays tour is back for another year, this time exclusively hitting stadiums for the biggest tour yet. Christchurch’s gig will be at Orangetheory Stadium on Saturday 19 March, and we suggest you snag your tickets ASAP.

Save the date: Usually a hallmark of the summer season, Bread & Circus – World Buskers Festival has been postponed this year to take place during the April school holidays, so make sure it’s in your diaries!