Free. No bookings required.

From documenting the Christchurch quake, to Covid 19 and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Alistair Hughes has illustrated and designed award winning visual reference for all of Stuff’s newspapers and website. From documenting the Christchurch quake, Covid-19 to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Along the way he has also produced numerous children’s books, regular cartoons and interviewed some fascinating personalities, including Sir Michael Palin, Bill Nighy and Graham Norton. Join Alistair for an entertaining afternoon of anecdotes and stories from his varied and fascinating life.

Donation/koha. No bookings required.

It has been several years since the adoption of Taonga Tuku Iho, Nelson’s Heritage Strategy. Come along to an evening of discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing Nelson heritage sector. A new RMA, changes to the District Plan, relaxed earthquake regulations, reduced funding for heritage properties and the settlement of the Nelson Tenths case - these all require a strong voice which will speak to what we value in the heritage that we all share.

Intent

Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 April 7pm - 9pm, THEATRE ROYAL NELSON

$32 per person for Adults, $28 per person for seniors and groups 6+, $18 per person for students. All plus booking fees. Tickets required. Tickets available at theatreroyalnelson.co.nz

On 17 December 2025 the 180-year long history of the case of the Nelson Tenths was settled in court. The possibilities, the questions, the dreams: Taonga Puoruo, Waiata and Purakau written by a grandmother to her moko. Part 2 of the sold out season of Tense at the 2023 Nelson Arts Festival. Written by Donna McLeod with Te Oro Ha, supported by Awhio toi.

Suggested donation/koha of $5-20 per person on night. Bookings required. Book spaces at culturalconversations.co.nz

Where Music Speaks and Conversations Flow is an intimate gathering where four musicians from different cultures and genres meet to chat about whakapapa and create improvised music together. It’s a live exploration of sound, connection, and creativity. Audiences are invited into the process - to listen, witness, and engage at the end. Perfect for those curious about improvisation, cultural exchange, and deep creative connection. This will be our 3rd session - we were fully booked during Nelson Arts Festival 2025.

$5 per person on the day. Bookings required. Email eventslib@tasman.govt.nz or phone 03 543 8500 to book spaces.

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at making biscornu? Over a two-part workshop, with ‘homework’ in between, creative women from Nelson Embroiderers’ will teach us how. No prior experience is necessary. A kit will be provided.

Free. No bookings required.

Join members of Heritage Roses Nelson in the gardens they steward at Broadgreen House. Immerse yourself in the scents and colours of the gardens. Admire one of the first roses brought to Aotearoa/New Zealand. Learn about common plants surrounding homesteads and their many uses. Use your hands, ask questions, and join in the shared local knowledge of growing these living heirlooms.

Free. No bookings required.

Come and see the Museum’s Collection Store at Isel Park as we begin the huge task of preparing to relocate more than 1.5 million collection items. Tours start on the hour and half hour. This is your last chance to see inside the building, opened as the museum’s exhibition space in 1973, before the collection moves to a new purpose-built ARC (Archives, Research and Collections) facility in Richmond, Tasman. Our Collections Team will guide you through a selection of the stores and share stories about some of the remarkable items in our care.

EVENT CANCELLED

Donation/koha. Bookings required. Email nelsonsambassadors@gmail.com to book spaces.

Become part of a Samba band for one evening! Over three hours, you’ll learn the basic Brazilian rhythms and the different percussion instruments used in a batucada band. By the end of this class, you will have either drummed for the dancers or danced with the band.

$32 per person for Adults, $28 per person for seniors and groups 6+, $18 per person for students. All plus booking fees. Tickets required. Tickets available at theatreroyalnelson.co.nz

On 17 December 2025 the 180-year long history of the case of the Nelson Tenths was settled in court. The possibilities, the questions, the dreams: Taonga Puoruo, Waiata and Purakau written by a grandmother to her moko. Part 2 of the sold out season of Tense at the 2023 Nelson Arts Festival. Written by Donna McLeod with Te Oro Ha, supported by Awhio toi.

TOURS ARE FULLY BOOKED

$10 per person. Tickets required. Book tickets at fareharbor.com/embeds/book/ brooksanctuary/items/650214/?fullitems=yes&flow=no

Discover after dark on a Tuatara night walk. Enjoy a guided evening walk beneath the stars along the Brook Stream as the forest comes alive after sunset. Spot tuatara roaming freely, along with glowworms and weta- . Experience the unique wildlife thriving in our pest-free sanctuary. An unforgettable night-time adventure for the whole family. Ages 5+.

Free. Bookings required. Email motuekalibrary.referencedesk@tasman.govt.nz or phone 03 528 1047 to book spaces.

Learn search tips for using Ancestry. com, look at various record collections for New Zealand and the UK. View Public Member Trees and send records home from the library. Basic computer skills are essential.

Free. No bookings required.

Join Suter Art Gallery curator Dr. Kyla Mackenzie for a special show and tell for art lovers. Learn how concepts of architecture and pictorial construction are evident in the artworks of New Zealand artist John Weeks (1886 – 1965), including The Suter’s African City (c.1950). This is an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the artworks and the artist himself, who spent time in the studio of French Cubist artist André Lhote in the 1920s before returning home to teach at Elam Art School in Auckland.

TOURS ARE FULLY BOOKED

$10 per person. Tickets required. Book tickets at fareharbor.com/embeds/book/ brooksanctuary/items/650214/?fullitems=yes&flow=no

Discover after dark on a Tuatara night walk. Enjoy a guided evening walk beneath the stars along the Brook Stream as the forest comes alive after sunset. Spot tuatara roaming freely, along with glowworms and weta- . Experience the unique wildlife thriving in our pest-free sanctuary. An unforgettable night-time adventure for the whole family. Ages 5+.

Donation/koha (buy a poppy). No bookings required.

We will remember them. Nelson’s dawn ANZAC Service. The march assembles at Paru Paru Road (Trafalgar Centre car park) then progresses to ANZAC Park for the traditional dawn service.

Donation/koha (buy a poppy). No bookings required.

Short commemoration ceremonies at memorials and cemeteries in Nelson where you, your family and friends can reflect in a more personal and private way. Led by Nelson RSA. We will remember them.

• 8am - 8.15am, Wakapuaka Servicemen’s Cemetery.

• 8.30am - 8.45am, Queens Gardens, Boer War Statue.

• 9am - 9.15am, Pikimai War Memorial, Cathedral Hill.

• 10am - 10.30am, Marsden Valley Servicemen’s Cemetery.

Free. No bookings required.

Many New Zealand families have relatives who served in the Second World War but are unsure how to begin researching their stories. Volunteers at Isel House have experience in tracing wartime histories and will be available on Anzac Day to share their knowledge and guidance. While they may not have all the answers, they will do their best to help you start your journey and point you in the right direction toward discovering more about your family’s wartime connections.

Donation/koha (buy a poppy). No bookings required.

Nelson’s ANZAC Day Civic Service will take place inside the Nelson Cathedral.

Suggested donation/koha of $5-20 per person on day. Bookings required. Book spaces at culturalconversations.co.nz

This workshop will explore how Chinese wisdom connects wellbeing with nature and the seasons, and how these practices adapt to the climate of Aotearoa. This workshop blends gentle Qi Gong, self-massage, and mindful plant connection to support your wellbeing.

Free. No bookings required.

The Memorial Gates at Stoke, beside the Hall, honour the men from Stoke who died in World War One. Volunteers at Isel House have uncovered many stories about families connected to the House and Park. On Anzac Day, Peter Millward will present a talk in the drawing room at Isel House, sharing some of these discoveries. This research inspired the display in the upstairs ‘Soldiers Room’, offering visitors a moving insight into the lives and legacies of those connected to Isel House and its community.

Free. No bookings required.

Mahitahi Breathe is an art-sciencetechnology project creating a visual representation of the temperature of water along the length of the Mahitahi river using a series of interconnected fish artworks. Following on from the Mahitahi Breathe Workshops earlier in the month, come along to this talk about the whole project, the art installation, and the results so far. How does water temperature affect river life?

Cancelled as at 16th April.

Suggested koha donation of $10 per person on arrival. Bookings required. Email nmhepi1994@icloud.com to book spaces.

This is the third year this workshop will take place in Tuku Festivals. Poi 103 with Matepo, takes you into the world of modern poi! Come join the workshop and create your own poi to take home with you! Learn techniques for how to use poi in performances. Nga mihi!

Free. No bookings required.

Join members of Heritage Roses Nelson in the gardens they steward at Broadgreen House. Immerse yourself in the scents and colours of the gardens. Admire one of the first roses brought to Aotearoa/New Zealand. Learn about common plants surrounding homesteads and their many uses. Use your hands, ask questions, and join in the shared local knowledge of growing these living heirlooms.

ALONG MAHITAHI WALKWAY - MEET AT ELMA TURNER LIBRARY CARPARK

Free. Bookings required. Email vicki@artecology.net to book spaces.

Art talk and installation party with artist Vicki Smith. Accompany artists, ecologists, kaiako and rangatahi in a discussion about a new tuna artwork for the Mahitahi Walkway. Take part and enjoy some refreshments helping in the installation of the artwork created by rangatahi in a collaboration with Whakatu- Marae. Learn about the special nature of tuna, our endemic long finned eel and how to access the ‘Tuna Hikoi’ (a self-guided walk through the tuna life cycle).

Free. No bookings required.

Come along and celebrate the Greedy Cat series with crafts and stories about this mischievous cat created by artist Robyn Belton. Children to be accompanied by a parent or guardian please.

Donation/kohaBookings required. Email awhiotoihub@gmail.com to book spaces.

On December 11, 2023, the activist group Te Waka Hourua used spray paint and an angle grinder to “redact” the English version of the Treaty at the “Signs of a Nation” Treaty of Waitangi exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa museum in New Zealand. Hear from the activists some of the members themselves about their motivations and how the day unfolded. Come join us to explore these issues around the actions of December 11th, 2023, and finish the event with an opportunity to screen print an item of clothing. Bring an item of clothing to screen print to commemorate this event.

$5 or $10 per person, pick your price. Tickets required. Tickets available at theatreroyalnelson.co.nz

Pechakucha Nelson and the Theatre Royal bring you an informative and entertaining evening of presentations from a range of speakers with a Tuku 26 flavour. Pechakucha (Japanese term for “chit-chat”) is a storytelling format where presenters show 20 slides for 20 seconds each. It is non-stop fast paced presentation with each presenter having 400 seconds to tell their entire story.

Donation/koha. No bookings required.

The Nelson Tasman region has long held a place of national significance in New Zealand’s craft pottery movement, celebrated for its creativity and innovation plus the special clay found here. Join us for an engaging talk featuring three accomplished potters, who will talk about their unique perspective on craft and clay.

$10 per person, $5 per person for NJC Members and under 18s. Pay on the door. No bookings required.

A look into the two most critical decades in jazz history. A period when jazz expanded beyond New Orleans to reach audiences worldwide. These years encompassed the Roaring Twenties, Prohibition, the Great Depression, and rapid technological change. Speakeasies, juke joints, and small hidden venues offered escapism from daily hardships while giving rise to some of the greatest jazz ever composed and performed. The 1920s and 1930s became a pivotal era in music history, and this Tuku 26 event takes you through those transformative decades illustrating the artists and stories that shaped the time.

Free. Bookings required. Email motuekalibrary.referencedesk@ tasman.govt.nz or phone 03 528 1047 to book spaces.

Step into history like never before, discover a new perspective on history with virtual reality. Technology meets storytelling to transport you to moments from the past. Sessions will be 45 minutes long. 10-13 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian please.

Free. No bookings required.

Are you having trouble finding your ancestors? Would you like to know more about using Ancestry.com, or what other family or local history resources are available. This drop-in session is aimed at those who have started on their family history journey and are wanting help with their research. Drop into the Research Room at Richmond Library and specialist library staff will be available to assist you.

$15 per person. Bookings required. Email experienceindia.nz@gmail.com to book spaces.

Step into the world of Indian tradition at Saree Stories, a hands on cultural workshop designed for those curious about Indian culture and heritage. The session will feature live saree draping on a model, accompanied by simple, step-by step demonstrations that explain what a saree is, how it is worn, and its cultural significance. We will also explore a variety of saree textiles and patterns. Open to all backgrounds. No prior knowledge is needed. Enjoy Chai after the session. Suitable for children above 7 years.

Donation/koha. No bookings required.

Tarante is a group of women dancers who celebrate the spirit of traditional dances from the Mediterranean. Through movement, music, and costume, we will bring culture to life. From Spain to Italy, Greece and France, we will invite you to feel the joy, energy, and history behind every step. More than a performance, we will share an interactive experience. We’ll invite you to clap, move, and dance with us as we connect past and present in joyful, captivating ways.

Free. Bookings required. Email Lemaucreative89@gmail.com to book spaces.

Our two-day workshop will be facilitated by professional Pacific experts from Lemau Creative. Participants will explore traditional and contemporary forms of Pacific cultural expression through dance, drumming, music and song, building confidence, cultural understanding and intergenerational connection. The workshop is designed to be inclusive, engaging and free, ensuring that cultural experiences remain accessible for all. All participants to bring clothes they can move in, sweat towel, pareu or a sarong and a bottle of water.

Free (Koha welcome). Bookings required. Email bookings@tatouprojects.co.nz to book a space.

The sessions start with a relaxed mihi whakatau and are followed by kaiwhakanoa (cuppa and kai) while learning about the Tatou Studios kaupapa and the activities within the Maori arts. A unique opportunity to ask questions and find guidance on beginning your journey and where opportunities await. We will then travel through a narrative session on a number of the origin stories of the Te Tauihu region provided by respected local kaiako and practitioners with powerful images and interaction with traditional artwork under a tikanga Maori framework.

Free. Bookings required. Email ari.edgecombe@ncc.govt.nz to book spaces.

Kindled from the passion of local people in the early 1970s, Founders Heritage Park began as a simple idea: to preserve and protect treasured heritage items. When the Park opened more than a decade later in 1986, through countless volunteer hours and community effort, a rubbish wasteland in Nelson had been transformed into a remarkable heritage environment. Now 40 years on since the Park opened, join us for a visual journey through engaging archival images and narratives that trace the evolution of The Park, celebrating its origins, its people, and its ongoing place in the local landscape.

$5 per person. Under 16 free. Bookings required. Book spaces at https://events.humanitix.com/tracing-the-tideway

Deborah Hope will take you on a sometimes-surprising journey, tracing Nelson’s tideway, the original shore line of Whakatu. It will be followed by tea and biscuits at the Trafalgar Hall to look at historical images of town, giving an opportunity for participants to share stories and reflect on our changing coastline.

Free. No bookings required.

Fresh FM Behind the Mic is a live storytelling event celebrating one of the longest running community voices in Te Tauihu—and the people behind it. Enjoy a relaxed panel discussion with familiar voices from across the years, paired with curated audio clips, archival photos, and treasures from the Fresh FM vault. This event honours local storytelling, community connection, and the power of access media—how everyday people found a mic, discovered their voice, and helped shape the cultural fabric of Te Tauihu. A true Tuku moment: sharing stories, exchanging perspectives, and celebrating the voices that make our region unique.

Free. No bookings required.

Join us for the Shared Communities Pop-Up Multicultural Market – Tuku Celebration, a vibrant and family-friendly evening celebrating Nelson’s rich cultural diversity! Enjoy delicious food from around the world, lively music, and captivating dance performances from a range of diverse communities. This free event is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your neighbours, experience different cultures, and celebrate the multicultural spirit of Nelson. Bring your family and friends for a fun, inclusive, and memorable evening – there’s something for everyone!

Rescheduled from 18th April

PICK UP AT THE END LOCATION FOR THE PICKPATH GUIDE. LOOK FOR THE BIG BLUE 4WD NEAR THE NELSON POLICE STATION, ALBION SQUARE, NELSON

$50 per person. Bookings required. Book spaces at scottish-express.nz/product/maungatapu-murders-track-shuttle

Extend MakeShift Spaces “A Bridge Too Far“ PickPath guide into a self-guided walking adventure. After listening to the audio guide on Bridge St, Scottish Express will shuttle you to the Maungatapu Saddle (takes approx. 1hr). You then walk the historic track past Murderers Rock to the Pelorus Valley where Scottish Express will pick you up and return you to Nelson. All net profits support MakeShift Spaces. Moderate fitness required.

$15 per person. Bookings required. Email experienceindia.nz@gmail.com to book spaces.

Back for its third year! Join Experience India for a hands-on Indian block printing workshop. Learn the history of this beautiful traditional craft, see how hand-carved wooden blocks are used, and print your own design to take home. We’ve welcomed over 120 participants with 100% positive feedback so far! Cost includes all materials and a warm cup of chai tea. No experience needed. Suitable for ages 7+. Choose from three session times. A creative and cultural experience for all ages.

Free. No bookings required.

The Theatre Royal Open Day is a wonderful opportunity to explore this beautiful historic building. You can learn a little about how a theatre works, understand what is involved to make a production come to life, and check out some of the technical operating systems, including the fly tower. Those who want to take their turn in the limelight can experience the view that actors have from the stage. This event is free and fun for the whole family.

$15 per person. Bookings required. Email experienceindia.nz@gmail.com to book spaces.

Back for its third year! Join Experience India for a hands-on Indian block printing workshop. Learn the history of this beautiful traditional craft, see how hand-carved wooden blocks are used, and print your own design to take home. We’ve welcomed over 120 participants with 100% positive feedback so far! Cost includes all materials and a warm cup of chai tea. No experience needed. Suitable for ages 7+. Choose from three session times. A creative and cultural experience for all ages.

$3 per person on the door. No bookings required.

The talk covers Rosaline’s early family life and standing as a professional photographer. Conflict between the early Nelson Council and the Tyree Studio and its subsidiaries will be discussed, along with the legacy of Rosaline Frank and the Tyree Collection. Also highlighted is the UNESCO Award and the role of early photographers as social historians.

$15 per person. Bookings required. Email experienceindia.nz@gmail.com to book spaces.

Back for its third year! Join Experience India for a hands-on Indian block printing workshop. Learn the history of this beautiful traditional craft, see how hand-carved wooden blocks are used, and print your own design to take home. We’ve welcomed over 120 participants with 100% positive feedback so far! Cost includes all materials and a warm cup of chai tea. No experience needed. Suitable for ages 7+. Choose from three session times. A creative and cultural experience for all ages.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the “Trailblazers! A History of the Nelson Tramping Club (1934-2026)” event has had to be postponed to after the end of the Tuku 26 festival. The new date is Saturday 30th May at 2pm to3pm. All other details are the same.

Free. Bookings required. Book spaces at nelsontrampingclub.org.nz

This is the story of a bunch of Nelsonian’s exploring their backyard, and in the process, finding joy, adventure and camaraderie. Among the day-walks and epic climbs, are tales of aircraft crashes, missing trampers, ballroom dances, inter-club rivalry, as well as the building and maintenance of a dozen backcountry huts. 92 years later, these trampers are still marking tracks and restoring huts. Ray Salisbury will present his new book, showing historic & modern photos. His previous books include Tableland: The History Behind Mt Arthur, and EPIC: Adventures Across Aotearoa.