Christchurch Antarctic Festival 2008

Friday 26th September–Friday 3rd October 2008

The next best thing to being there – just got better.

The 2008 Antarctic Festival will celebrate the Kiwi connection to the last great wilderness on Earth with a series of movies, exhibitions and talks from distinguished members of the Antarctic community.

At Our City O-Tautahi – the hub for some of the exhibitions – Telecom will hook up a video link to New Zealand's Scott Base on the icy continent for the public to communicate in real time with staff wintering over. The Festival's focus on the International Polar Year will also give visitors and locals a chance to understand what's happening to our planet, and how humans influence the Earth system. Events will highlight the connection between climate change around Antarctica and how it affects the rest of the world.

The 'Antarctic Ice-Capade' will feature two full days of activities with a family friendly programme featuring Ice Sculptures, demonstrations of many antarctic Icons, the Hagglund challenge, aircraft tours, Polar Pursuit and rides – all held at Christchurch's Antarctic hub including the world's best International Antarctic Centre, the Christchurch International Airport and the Air New Zealand hangars. Come join us as we showcase New Zealand's unique scientific, economic and historic connection with Antarctica.