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Saturday, July 29, 2006

Happy 150th Birthday

Today there is a party on in Christchurch's Cathedral Square. 150 years ago Queen Victoria granted letters patent which allowed Christchuch to have a bishop and become a city. It must have been a very small city, as it was only six years since the "First Four Ships" had brought the settlers of the Canterbury Company. However I gather that having a bishop was more important to granting city status, than was size.

Technically I think our "birthday" should date from the first settlement. Celebrating the city status seems to be to be counting a child's day of birth as the day they start school. Still, any excuse for a party on ratepayers' money.

Here are some photos I took - very casually in the crowd. Any attempts at framing a professional-looking shot were likely to be foiled by someone coming between me and the camera.

Part of the 150 metre long birthday cake (and a very nice cake it was, too).


FreedomAir were giving away 75 prizes of a flight for two to Australia, for the best costumes.


Performers waiting behind the stage for their turn


Stilt walkers seen above the crowd


A tourist poses with Christchurch's Wizard for a photo. (The Wizard used to be seen regularly on his soapbox in the Square. He's more or less retired these days, but comes out occasionally for special occasions).


A young partygoer flies above the crowd. The Cathedral is in the background.


John Robert Godley decked out in red and black (Canterbury colours) with a seagull hat, for the occasion.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's quite a cake! And Christchurch NZ has it's own Wizard? That's pretty cool, hehe.

I hope you're having a good weekend.

Here from Michele's :)

Kay Cooke said...

Congrats to Ch'ch.
Great photos!

phoenix said...

Hi from Michele!

I am with you on the birthday thing... it should be on founding day - not the day you are celebrating there. But happy Birthday anyways! I enjoyed your pictures. Thank you for sharing them!

It looks like such fun!! (I love the wizard guy!!)

paris parfait said...

Oh, thanks for letting us be a part of the celebration with these great photos!

Deb R said...

That really looks like a fun celebration! I liked seeing the costumes and the decorated statue and that cake looks awesome!

rashbre said...

Looks like a lively event and the cake is terrific! Great fun and Hi - Michele sent me!

rashbre

David Edward said...

happy 150! I do so want to come down there, and see what all the fuss is about - here from michele
I live in the mountains of So calif.