Major Events Support Fund

the major events support fund commenced in 2022

53 Events have been funded to date.

1.061 Funding has been
received from TDC and
distributed by Venture Timaru

(1.06M)

The fund invests in events that showcase our district, help bring more visitors and boost local spending.

Venture Timaru is proud to facilitate the Major Events Support Fund, which helps bring medium to large events to life across the Timaru District each year.

Funded by Timaru District Council, the fund offers grants of between $10,000 and $50,000 for events that can attract visitors, strengthen our local economy and showcase the best of our district.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of event organisers and event types, including arts, music, cultural, community, sporting and other events that add vibrancy to our district and deliver benefits across the calendar year.

Submitting an application

Applications are now open and close 5pm Thursday 20 August 2026.

Grants announced late-August 2026.

APPLY NOW – DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

MAJOR EVENTS SUPPORT FUND GUIDELINES

MAJOR EVENTS SUPPORT FUND TERMS & CONDITIONS

The annual portfolio of major events supports a diverse range of events across the calendar year and across the district

Funding is for events taking place by July 2027.

The funding is for grants of between $10,000-$50,000 and is sourced from the Timaru District Council.

We encourage you to review the categories and criteria outlined below and consider where your event best fits. These categories help guide how applications will be considered, including your event’s stage, scale, growth potential and likely benefits for the district.

Emerging events

These are new events that warrant a kick start grant investment because they are seen to have significant long-term growth potential for the Timaru District.

Cornerstone long-standing events

Have proven performance in delivering high profile for the Timaru District, add to the district’s value proposition and where Venture Timaru’s ongoing support will drive incremental visitation and expansion opportunity.

Significant one-off events

These events present an opportunity to deliver substantial benefits to the Timaru District by way of profile, increased visitation, and new business opportunities.

Understand the potential value of your event.

If you are considering applying for the Major Events Support Fund, Venture Timaru can help you better understand the estimated economic impact of your event.

Our events calculator provides an indicative report showing how your event may contribute to Timaru District through visitor activity, local spending and wider community benefit.

The events calculator is part of the support Venture Timaru receives from economic analysts Infometrics and is offered as a free service for event organisers.

Get help to calculate how much is your event is worth.

To estimate the economic impact of your event, we will ask you to provide information such as expected attendee numbers, visitor origin, length of stay and average daily spending.

This information is used to estimate how expenditure may be spread across broad spending categories in Timaru District.

Multiplier analysis, a commonly used approach for measuring local economic impacts, is then applied to provide an indicative estimate of your event’s economic contribution.

If you would like to discuss your event or use the calculator as part of your application planning, please book an appointment by emailing events@venturetimaru.nz.

If your event has the potential to attract visitors, boost local spending and showcase what makes our district special, we’d love to hear from you.

APPLY NOW – DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

MAJOR EVENTS SUPPORT FUND GUIDELINES

MAJOR EVENTS SUPPORT FUND TERMS & CONDITIONS

A line up of successful events.

Explore examples of how the major events fund is supporting a diverse range of events – each highlighting how they attract visitors, strengthen local vibrancy, support business growth and deliver meaningful benefits for our district.

Diverse events are adding vibrancy and significant economic benefit to our
Timaru District.

Multicultural Aoraki Festival 2026

More than 3,000 attendees flocked to the 2026 Multicultural Aoraki Festival, along with 83 stallholders. It is regarded as Timaru’s biggest day celebrating culture and one of the region’s most anticipated community events.

The Coastal 2025

The Coastal is a celebration of scenery, challenge and community, offering a unique running and walking event set in Timaru. It is widely regarded as one of the most scenic running events in the country, the course is both beautiful and diverse – featuring a mix of packed and loose trails, roads and footpaths.

Caroline Bay Rock & Hop 2025

Caroline Bay Rock and Hop continues to capture hearts far and wide, with attendees travelling from all corners of New Zealand. The nostaligic celebration of cars, caravans and motorbikes spanned four days in March 2026.

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