A bike disco, street games, guided walks through transformed demolition sites, dance classes at a temporary outdoor dancehall – these are just some of the transitional sports and recreational activities for people of all ages to have a go at during the Festival of Transitional Architecture (FESTA) this Labour Weekend.

Sports and recreation are another means for as many members of the community as possible to try out the transitional – that is to join in and test out new projects and activities that respond to Christchurch’s current environment. The result is the return of life and activity to the city and the upkeep of flexible and evolving city spaces.

Swing ball, sack races, bull rush or tag take your fancy? Gap Filler invites the public to bring suggestions and to fill the green at The Commons on Saturday 25 October with Retro Sports, where it will also be launching its anchor project - the re-locatable mini-grandstand. On Sunday, all are welcome to join in for Chur-Chur French Cricket or watch from the grandstand and the much-loved Dance-O-Mat will be in full swing throughout FESTA, with dance-related events and classes from 11am-3pm.

RAD Bikes, the community bike workshop, is open at various times and sprucing up for its bike disco as part of CityUps, the city of the future and FESTA’s headline event on Saturday night.  Also at CityUps, beneath one of the towering, glowing student installations, is Games Hall. Run by Street Games, a sports charity focused on communities, Games Hall brings sports to the back doorstep that suit and respond to the surrounding environment – so head down to CityUps on Saturday night for some vacant lot activities!

Guided walks around transformed central city sites are on offer with Greening the Rubble, an organisation that converts demolitions sites into temporary parks and green spaces for the public’s enjoyment. For a low-key bike ride, join Lazy Sunday Cycle for a guided loop around the central city to various landmarks and key FESTA sites.

The Avon-Otakaro network is running the Spring River Festival Inanga Heke (whitebait migration), which follows the river from New Brighton to the CBD. Join in from the start under New Brighton’s clock tower or along the way on foot, bike or boat.

FESTA invites one and all to get active with transitional sports and recreation in this creative urban environment! Thanks to the participation and collaboration of many, FESTA manages to activate the spaces of Christchurch’s centre on an urban scale for Labour Weekend and make Christchurch feel like a city again.

Please visit festa.org.nz for more information or email emma@festa.org.nz for images and interviews.

IMAGES
Gap Filler’s Retro Sports. Credit is Raewyn Murray 2014.