Regional parks events
Canterbury's regional parks offer endless possibilities when it comes to putting on events. There are over 250km of walking and mountain bike tracks along with large green spaces suitable for picnics and static activities.
While you will need to plan and organise the event yourself, our park rangers and staff can provide the information and advice you'll need to make it successful. All our spaces can be booked online using our online booking form.
For closures, hazards or other notices to our parks, please see our parks notices page.
Regional parks volunteer events
Help protect and restore our rivers and parks! Join us this winter for native planting events across Waitaha/Canterbury.
Every action you take supports healthier waterways, thriving ecosystems.
Sign up for one of our volunteer events
Upcoming events
15-16 October 2026 | NZDF Exercise | McLeans Forest, Waimakariri River Regional Park
A small group of soldiers will be in the park overnight on an exercise int he carpark area. All tracks and trails remain open.
16 October 2026 | Cotswold Mātāhae School Bike Rally | McLeans Forest, Waimakariri River Regional Park
The park will be busier than usual with this large school group in attendance. Any queries please reach out to: Duty Rangers
25 October 2026 | CT Civil NZ National Finals | Weedons Forest & Berm, Waimakariri River Regional Park
The CT Civil New Zealand National Finals are coming to Canterbury from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026, bringing together off-road racers from around New Zealand for a full weekend of short course and enduro racing. The Weedons forest and berm will be closed to all park users on Sunday 25 October to allow for the safe running of the Enduro Challenge. For further details visit: Event Website
7 November 2026 | 6HR Blast | McLeans Forest, Waimakariri River Regional Park
Join the team from Muddy Gumboots for the 20th running of this iconic event. The race will commence at 10am and finish at 4pm during this time there will be some track closures and detours in place across the park tracks. For more details visit: Event Website
14 November 2026 | Tekapo 10 | Takapō Regional Park
A fun friendly MTB relay event for all abilities. For more information visit: Event page
23 November 2026 | Rakahuri Bike Blast | Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park
The trails between the Groyne 1 entry to the park and Groyne 2 will be closed to allow for the running of the Rakahuri Bike Blast, the tracks downstream of this remain open. For more details on the event, visit: Bike Blast Facebook page.
6 December 2026 | Bridge to Bridge | Waimakariri River Regional Park
The annual bridge to bridge cycle ride is atking place on both sides of the Waimakariri RIver between the SH1 bridges and the Gorge bridge. For more information visit: Event Website
16-18 January 2027 | Krayzie Chicks Frontyard Ultra | McLeans Forest, Waimakariri River Regional Park
Join the tream from Krazy Kapers at their unique Frontyard Ultra. Female runners must consecutively run the distance of 6kms in less than one hour. When each lap is completed, the remaining time within the hour is used to recover and replenish for the next hours race. The race finishes when one person completes one more lap than anyone else.
The Frontyard Ultra is designed as an introduction to the backyard ultra for female runners with the intention to remove some of the more daunting aspects of a traditional backyard ultra such as time constraints. It is an opportunity for females to join together, make new friends, have fun and challenge themselves to something new in a safe environment and put the males on kid and crewing duties.
To enter or for more information visit: Frontyard Ultra
8 February 2027 | Taitonga Regional Orienteering Championship Middle Distance | Takapō Regional Park
Peninsula & Plains Orienteering will be hosting the 2027 Taitonga – Southern Regional Championships at Waitangi weekend in the Canterbury High Country. The third event in the series on Monday 8 February will be staged in Takapō Regional Park between 8am and 4pm. For more information visit: Taitonga Southern Regional Champs
23 April 2027 | Peninsula & Plains Mountain Bike Orienteering event | McLeans Forest, Waimakariri River Regional Park
Peninsula & Plains Orienteering will be hosting an event at McLeans Forest on Friday 23 April 2027. Some walking tracks may be closed on this date - more details to come. For more information visit: PAPO Website
25 April 2027 | NZ Mountain Bike Orienteering Champs | Intake Rd to Weedons Ross Rd, Waimakariri River Regional Park
Peninsula & Plains Orienteering will be hosting an event at the Willows and Weedons Forest on Sunday 25 April 2027. Both areas will be closed to the public on this date - more details and closure map to come. For more information visit: PAPO Website
Ongoing to 30 June 2027 | Stargazing | Takapō Regional Park
Experience the breathtaking southern night sky in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. The tours operate in the park alongside Lake Tekapo. For further details visit: Home - Astro Tekapo
4 July 2027 | McLeans Forest Run | McLeans Forest, Waimakariri River Regional Park
The MNcleans Forest Run is back for its secdond year! Explore McLeans Forest in the heart of the Waimakariri River Regional Park and experience the forest in a whole new way. Your race, your pace...whether you're chasing a personal best or simply enjoying time on the trails, the McLeans Forest Run offers a scenic, well-supported course through this unique riverside park.
Runners and walkers of all abilities are invited to take part, with a choice of three distances designed to suit everyone from first-timers through to seasoned runners and walkers. The course routes take in a mixture of established walking tracks, gravel park trails and mixed-use walking and cycling tracks throughout McLeans Forest.
To register or find out more visit: Race roster registration site
8 August 2027 | Waimakariri Off Road Clean-up | Harrs Road, Waimakariri River Regional Park
Join the ranger team on site at Harrs Road and help us to clean up the Waimakariri river banks. The event will start at 9.00am and will culminate in a BBQ at 12.00pm. We will have event skips on site for rubbish to be dropped into and are keen for confident 4WD enthusiasts (with trailers) to join us. We will also have some areas able to be cleaned up by volunteers who prefer to work on foot. Register here
26 September 2027 | World Rivers Day Planting
Details to come when finalised
Organising an event in a regional park
It is your responsibility to plan and organise the event, but our team is happy to provide information and advice.
You will need to secure the area, supply your own equipment, and comply with Environment Canterbury conditions, and any Territorial Local Authority regulations, to create a safe environment for participants.
Major and minor events
Major events are events that impact other recreational users within the park due to road/park closures. These range from motorsport to large mountain bike, kayak or running races.
Minor events have fewer participants, such as group picnics or not-for-profit fund-raisers, and don’t impact other park users.
Please review this checklist of things to consider before getting in touch with the our team.
Booking the area is your first step. Contact us and ask for the Regional Park Events Coordinator. We can hold a date for 14 days. After this, if no application form has been received, the date will be cleared.
- Please note major events require between 4–6 months notice.
- There is a $74.74 incl booking fee for all events.
- Any event submitted less than a month from the event date, or without adequate notice in the case of a major event, will attract a late fee of $74.74 incl.
- All commercial/corporate events, where participants are charged an entry fee will attract a charge of $2.30 incl per person.
- Ranger time requested for event set up is charged at $86.25 per hour.
- Exclusive use of an area is charged at $517.50 per day. This fee is applied at the discretion of Parks & Forests lead.
- For a full list of event fees and charges in effect from 1 July 2025, download and read our current Fees and Charges Schedule (PDF file, 319.61KB)
Booking an event online: You can use our online booking form to book your event.
Contact us
We want you to have a successful event and we are happy to provide advice. Please don’t hesitate to contact the team on 03 353 9007 or by email duty.ranger@ecan.govt.nz.
Event checklist
Traffic management plan – If any part of your activity uses public roads, you will be required to submit a traffic management plan. You’ll need to check requirements with the relevant city or district council and the Environment Canterbury Parks team.
Noise – Excessive noise is generally unacceptable at any time and councils have bylaws around this. If you are considering amplified sound, please touch base with the relevant city or district council.
Liquor licence – If you intend to sell or permit alcohol at your event, a special liquor license will be required. These can be obtained from the relevant city or district council, who can provide you with guidelines for host responsibility.
Public liability insurance – You will be required to obtain public liability insurance for your event, at a minimum of $2,000,000.00. Often a sponsor will provide this coverage as an extension of their existing insurance policy.
Neighbours – Do they know what’s going on? Have you invited them? Please don’t hesitate to ask the Parks team if you are unsure whether this is an issue.
Food – Who is providing this service? Do they have current licences?
Security – Do you need a police presence? Are you providing private security staff? If so, security staff must be registered.
Parking – There is limited parking available in some areas of the parks. If your event has a large number of participants attending, please talk to our team about areas that can be opened up for overflow parking. Also consider what bus routes travel to your event location.
Signage – Event signage may be permitted.
Building consents – You may need a building consent for marquees over 100sqm, staging, fencing and temporary structures such as sound towers. This can be obtained from the relevant city or district council.
Power access – McLeans Forest Oval is the only space that has existing power access.
Toilet facilities – How many will you need, and will you require disabled access? Current regional park toilet facilities include Waimakariri Regional Park (McLeans Forest, West Melton Forest, Kaiapoi Island, Ta Rauakaaka, The Willows, McIntoshs and Kirikōhatu) and Takapō Regional Park.
Rubbish and recycling – Who is cleaning up afterwards?
Health and safety – Every event organiser must be aware of their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
You can print off this handy checklist.