As one of the most significant national holidays in New Zealand, ANZAC Day honours the brave soldiers who fought and died for their country. Each year on April 25th, communities throughout New Zealand come together to pay tribute to these heroes through a range of events, from dawn services and parades.
We’ve put together a list of some of the events happening throughout New Zealand to help you pay tribute.
Southland:
Woodlands: Anzac service will take place at 7:45 am at the Woodlands War Memorial, a morning tea will take place shortly afterwards at the neighbouring church. All are welcome to attend.
Invercargill: Dawn Service 7am, War Memorial, Dee Street. Ex-service personnel to parade on Victoria Avenue at 6.50am. More information on this and other events in the region will be available closer to the time here Southland Times: Southland /Invercargill news | Stuff.co.nz
Otago:
The dawn service parade will be held at the Cenotaph Queens Gardens Dunedin.
Veteran March commences at 6.15 am.
Dawn Service commences at 6.30 am.
Wreaths will be laid as part of the Service.
Relatives may wear medals on the right side of the chest.
University of Otago Anzac Service, 1.30pm
For other services in the Dunedin area, please check the Otago Daily Times & The Star Anzac Day Features.
More information is available here: Dunedin RSA| Dunedin Local Community Club (dn-rsa.org.nz)
Christchurch:
The Christchurch City Council is expecting more than 15,000 people to attend the dawn service at Cathedral Square, which starts at 6.30 am.
Veterans will meet at church: Worcester Blvd and Oxford Tce at 6.15 am on April 25 before parading to the traditional service led by the New Zealand Army Band.
Other Anzac Day services to be held around Christchurch and Banks Peninsula include Papanui RSA, 9.30am; New Brighton cenotaph, Marine Pde, 10am; Heathcote War Memorial, 6.15am; Lyttelton War Memorial, 10am; Templeton RSA, 11am; Sumner RSA Memorial Gates, 11am; Akaroa War Memorial; 11.30am; Little River Community Centre, 9.30am; and Halswell War Memorial/Domain, 9am.
Nelson-Tasman region:
Dawn services are planned at Anzac Park in Nelson and the Tākaka Memorial Reserve from 6am as well as the Motueka War Memorial and Collingwood Cenotaph at 6.30am. Times are subject to change.
Wellington:
The Dawn Service will begin at 6am at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Buckle Street, Te Aro. The Anzac Day National Commemoration Service will occur at 11am and the last post will occur at the same location at 5pm.
For more information on this and other events visit:
Wellington RSA| Community Club Wellington (wrsa.org.nz)
Wairarapa:
Despite the devastation wreaked by Cyclone Gabrielle and the ongoing clean-up, Tīnui is sticking with tradition this Anzac Day – albeit with some caveats.
The Tīnui Anzac Committee confirmed at a recent meeting that the annual Anzac commemoration would go ahead on April 25.
More information will be available soon via Home – Wairarapa Times-Age
Gisborne:
The Anzac Dawn Service – 5am to 7.30am at the War Memorial, for road closures visit: Event – 2023 ANZAC Dawn Service | Gisborne District Council (gdc.govt.nz)
Waikato:
Hamilton’s 2023 Anzac Day memorial services take place at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park, on Memorial Drive. Both services go ahead regardless of weather conditions.
The 2023 services will be MCed by New Zealand Army Reservist Officer Lieutenant Colonel Olly Te Ua.
There will be big screens in the park that will show both the dawn and civic services, meaning people can see and hear both services from further back in Memorial Park.
Following each service, schools, groups and individuals are welcome to lay their own wreaths or flowers at the Cenotaph, but this will not be part of the official services.
More than 5000 poppies will be installed on the corner of Memorial Drive and Anzac Parade again this year, and the Fields of Remembrance Trust will place 350 white crosses in Memorial Park to acknowledge the Hamiltonians lost in conflict. Both the crosses and the poppies will be installed on Monday 24 April and will be removed on Wednesday 26 April.
For more information on this event please visit: Anzac Day | Hamilton City Council
Auckland:
Auckland has a number of events on all over the region, including the dawn service at the Auckland domain, which is one of the biggest dawn services in the country.
To learn more about these events visit Anzac Day Parades and Services 2023 – OurAuckland (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz)
Northland:
Kamo War Memorial Hall, Corner Boswell and Grant Streets, Kamo, Whangārei
Tuesday 25 April 2023 10:00am – 11:00am
All are welcome to attend. Morning Tea will be provided after the service.
For more information and recourses, visit: Home (rsa.org.nz)
If your community is having an Anzac service that you would like to have added to this list please email [email protected]
