Uncertainty forces event disruptions

Organisers of a number of annual Canterbury events have made the difficult decision to cancel or postpone because of Covid-19 uncertainty.

Restrictions on crowd sizes and the risk of a return to a higher alert level have made it near-impossible for people to plan large sporting or community activities.

Question marks hang over other gatherings and cultural celebrations which are due in the coming weeks.

Among the cancelled events was the 11th Hororata Highland Games that was to take place on November 6.

More than 8000 people gathered in the rural town for last year’s Games but Richard Lang, Hororata Community Trust chair, said it was not possible to stage the popular festival this year.

‘‘The Hororata Highland Games is a significant outdoor event attracting around 10,000 people annually and can only operate in alert level 1,’’ he said.

‘‘Our community has been through a lot recently with floods, wind and snow, and given the current uncertainty with Covid alert levels, we needed to make a firm decision now to cancel the Games.’’

He hoped the announcement would provide the rural community with certainty, during ‘‘uncertain times’’.

All tickets sold through Eventfinda will be refunded.

Ticket holders will also have the option to donate their purchase to the Hororata Community Trust and in return will be offered a 50 per cent discount off tickets to the next Hororata Highland Games.

The Port Hills’ Crater Rim Ultra run has also been cancelled.

It was planned for October 17, but in a statement on the event’s website, director Peter King said the decision to remain at level 2 for at least the next two weeks ‘‘creates too much uncertainty’’.

‘‘We simply can’t be sure that level 2 will not be extended or raised,’’ he said.

The decision to cancel ‘‘was not taken lightly’’, he said.

‘‘We have put months of planning into the Crater Rim Ultra. Over the next four weeks, we would have faced significantly more spending on organising the event.

‘‘If we cannot be confident of being at level 1 by race day, we think it is responsible to cancel now rather than risk having to cancel at the last minute and lose thousands of dollars.’’

Earlier this week, a number of A&P shows announced they would not take place this year.

Among them was North Canterbury’s Rangiora A&P Show.

Too Many Cooks, the Cancer Society Canterbury-West Coast Division’s fundraising dinner has been postponed until March next year.

Heather Locke, the division’s fundraising manager, said several hundred guests were expected to attend Majestic on Durham on October 9.

‘‘Too Many Cooks has by necessity become a moveable feast, but we are delighted to announce that our three amazing chefs, Jimmy McIntyre, Darren Wright and Andrew Brown, are all locked in for our new date of Saturday, March 19, 2022,’’ she said.

A decision has yet to be made about this year’s Christchurch Diwali, Indian Festival of Lights.

It is due to take place in Hagley Park North on October 23, but organisers are awaiting further information before they postpone the event.

Monty Parti, president of Christchurch Indian Social and Cultural Club, said one possible ‘‘plan B’’ was to reschedule the Diwali celebrations to a date in November. It was too early to say if it would be moved, but they were in talks with Christchurch City Council to plan for an alternative day.