Competitions

We occasionally run competitions for kids, teens and adults.

Current competitions

Summertime Reading Challenge – Kōrero pukapuka ā te wā o raumati 2019 / 2020

The Summertime Reading Challenge 2019 / 2020 is on from Monday 2 December 2019 to Saturday 29 February 2020. Discover something new and be in to win cool prizes.

Principal partner: PB Tech
Supported by: TSB, Foundation Cafe, Riverside Market, Wheelers

How to enter

Post a completed Summertime Reading Challenge postcard at your library in Christchurch or Selwyn, or enter the Not Just Books challenge online:

Past competitions

NZSO's Transfiguration concert

We gave away 2 double passes to the NZSO's concert on Saturday 14 September at the Christchurch Town Hall. The answer to the competition question "What was the composer Rachmaninov's first name?" was "Sergei". Entries closed at 5pm on Thursday 5 September.

The following people won a double pass each:

  • John Arnold
  • Ailsa Dodge

NZ Opera's The Barber of Seville

We gave away a double pass to NZ Opera's The Barber of Seville at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Entrants were asked to submit their favourite funny book, TV show or movie. The winner was drawn on Wednesday 31 July.  The winner was Aquila Utami.

NZSO Podium series - Winter Daydreams concert

We gave away 2 double passes to the NZSO's concert on Thursday 27 June at the Christchurch Town Hall.The answer to the competition question "Which piece of music being performed in this concert was composed by a New Zealander?" was "Angel at Ahipara". Entries closed at 5pm on Wednesday 19 June.

The following people won a double pass each:

  • Kristina Heep
  • Nicholas Wormald

NZSO Podium series - Enigma concert

We gave away 2 double passes to the NZSO's concert on Friday 5 April at the Christchurch Town Hall. The answer to the competition question "Which New Zealand composer is the Christchurch Town Hall Auditorium named after?" was "Douglas Lilburn". Entries closed at 5pm on Thursday 28 March 2019.

The following people won a double pass each:

  • Linda Allen
  • Marian Richards

I love New Brighton bookmark competition - Wednesday 6 February to Friday 1 March 2019

Design a New Brighton-themed bookmark and enter it in our competition!  Pick up an entry form from the library stall at I Love New Brightonopens a new window (Thomson Park, Waitangi Day) and be in to win free enrolment in a library learning centre programme.  We will turn the winning entries into a bamboo bookmark using laser-cutting technology.

Open to the following age groups: 7-12, 13-18 and 19+ years of age.  Find more information including specs for your design and how to enter your design on the entry form at New Brighton Library.

Summertime Reading Challenge – Kōrero pukapuka ā te wā o raumati

The Summertime Reading Challenge runs from Saturday 1 December 2018 to Thursday 28 February 2019.

Spot prizes:

  • Monday 14 January: Luca (7 years) and Olivia (8 years) who have each won a copy of Aotearoa by Gavin Bishop, signed by the author.
  • Monday 4 February: Gus (5 years) and Alice (5 years) each received a book.

Summertime Reading Challenge - Facebook competition

A question will be added to the library Facebook and post your answer, share and like our page to be in to win. Prizes include Spotify vouchers, movie tickets and a family pass to Orana Park. Winners will be drawn and announced on our Facebook page, and on our website.

  • Challenge #1 Winner: Dean Brown (prize: Alice in Videoland golden ticket)
  • Challenge #2 Winner: Sarah Gardyne (prize: Book voucher)
  • Challenge #3 Winner:  Sarah Weber (prize: $50 voucher for Reading Gold Lounge Cinema)
  • Challenge #4 Winner: Alana Priest (prize: $50 Countdown voucher)

Jesus Christ Superstar

Win one of two double passes to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Court Theatre. Email uncover@ccc.govt.nz with why you want to win, along with your name and contact details to go in the draw. Competition closes 30 November 2018.

Download uncover huraina issue 9 [11.83MB PDF)

Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Win one of three double passes to see Mad Hatter's Tea Party at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Email uncover@ccc.govt.nz with why you want to win, along with your name and contact details to go in the draw! Competition closes 30 November 2018.

Download uncover huraina issue 9 [11.83MB PDF)

NZSO Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky concert

We gave away 2 double passes to the NZSO's concert on Saturday 17 November at Horncastle Arena. The answer to the competition question "which floor of Tūranga, the new central library, holds the music collection?" Was "Auahatanga | Creativity, Level 4". Entries closed at 5pm on Sunday, 11 November.

The following people won a double pass each:

  • Wendy Marshall
  • Delia Talili

Christchurch Photo Hunt

We would love photos of people, places over time and events for our annual Christchurch Photo Hunt. Entries open on Monday 1 October and close Wednesday 31 October 2018. Winners in each category were announced on 1 December 2018.

Nutcracker Diorama: A Family Challenge

Be in to win a family pass to see the magical stage production of The Nutcracker! The prize is a ticket for two adults and two children to attend The Royal New Zealand Ballet production of The Nutcracker on Saturday 24 November, 1.30pm at the Isaac Theatre Royal.

Work together with your friends or family on this fun and creative challenge – just in time for the school holidays! Entries open Monday 17 September and close Sunday 27 October 2018. Re-create your favourite scene from The Nutcracker in a shoebox diorama. Find out more. 

View the winners.

NZSO and The Phoenix Foundation - Celebrate! concert

Entries closed 5pm Wednesday 22 August. The winners of a double pass each to the concert were Alice Capon and Sarah Bynevelt.

Dr Seuss Creation - A Family Challenge

We ran an exciting competition during June and July this year. Express your creativity and be in to win a family pass to The Cat in the Hat at the beautiful Isaac Theatre Royal on Tuesday 9 October! Competition was open from Monday 18 June to 5pm Sunday 29 July 2018. Visit the competition page.

View entries by the winners and finalists.

Winter Reading Challenge for teens

Challenge yourself to read or trial something new this winter and be in to WIN! Clip, tick, sticker, or stamp at least five ideas and then add your own for good luck. Competition opened Monday 2 July and ran until Sunday 29 July. Visit the competition page.

WINNERS

  • $30 Hoyts vouchers were won by Zoe, Tarlaye, Sophie, and Imogen
  • $30 Spotify vouchers were won by Amber, Matt, and Caitlin
  • Astroman tickets at the Court Theatre were won by Jasmine, Bianca, and Elliot.

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all of you who entered. The Winter Read Challenge generated these hot reading tips from Christchurch teens.

Tūranga’s Bookbots seek Earth names

Christchurch City Libraries launched a special online survey for local schools to help give names to Tūranga’s intergalactic heroes, the Bookbots.

During the month of July, local primary and intermediate students can vote on their favourite names for the digital characters and go in the draw to win prizes, including a real-life interactive robot for their school, with training provided by PBTech, and a class workshop with Imagination Station. Bluetooth speakers from Spark and giant Bookbot wall decals are also up for grabs.

Voting was open to local primary and intermediate students until 31 July 2018 (limited to one entry per student).

The grand prize, a real-life programmable Star Wars robot, was won by St Anne’s Catholic School, in Woolston. Read: Tūranga’s Bookbots get Earth names

Win tickets to the NZSO’s An Evening With Simon O’Neill

Entries closed 5pm Tuesday 5 June. The winners of a double pass each to the concert were Paul Dryden and Claire Berkahn.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

Entries closed 5pm Sunday 29 April. The winners of a paperback and a double pass to the movie were Sophia Blake, Barbara Brockie, Joanne Davidson, Heather Gall and Wendy Hay.

uncover - huraina competitions 

Win tickets to Richard Dawkins: Science in the Soul

Win one of three A Reserve double passes to see Science in the Soul! Email uncover@ccc.govt.nz with the title of any book written by Richard Dawkins along with your name and contact details to be in to win!
Friday 11 May, 7.30pm at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch. Entries closed 5pm Sunday 29 April.
Winners: Warren Lloyd; Stephen Osborne; Rebekah Ayrey

Win a book: Find the missing word

Kids! Do you love puzzles? Find the words in the puzzle in uncover huraina issue 7. One of the words cannot be found! Write this missing word in an email to uncover@ccc.govt.nz along with your name and contact details to be in to win one of the beautiful books shown below. Entries closed 5pm Sunday 29 April.
Winners: Brian Kenneth Comrie; Laura Auld

Terms and conditions

  • Entries open to all ages.
  • Entries must be received by 5pm Sunday 29 April 2018 to be eligible for the draw.
  • Entries must be returned emailed to uncover@ccc.govt.nz
  • Winners will be drawn at random and announced on our website and Facebook page on, or before Wednesday 9th May 2018.
  • Prize allocation is at the discretion of the Christchurch City Council. All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  • Entries must have all correct contact details and answers to relevant questions included in their email.

Win tickets to the NZSO Mozart & Mahler concert

The answer to the competition question "Which of our Video and Film eResources has a 2004 performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5? (as seen in blog post)" was Access Video.

The winners of a double pass each to the concert were:

  • Carmen Moylan
  • Nola Smart

Win tickets to the NZSO National Youth Orchestra concert - 2 February

This competition ran from 18 to 26 January. The winners of a double pass each to the concert were:

  • Traci Gibson
  • Goldie Wang

Teen Leisure Programmes at the new Central Library

From 1 September to 30 October 2017, teens between aged between 13 and 18 years had the chance to tell us what they’d like to see happening in new Central Library and go into the draw for a $100 Westfield voucher. Congratulations to Isla from New Brighton who won the voucher. 

Christchurch Photo Hunt 2017: Plains, Port Hills & Peninsula – Finding our way

Christchurch City Libraries has run a Photo Hunt since 2008. This year’s theme is Plains, Port Hills & Peninsula – Finding our way. Entries opened on Sunday 1 October and closed Tuesday 31 October. We announced the winners on Friday 1 December.

Win tickets to NZSO concert Rachmaninov with Joyce Yang – Tues 31 October

Thanks to the NZSO we had two double passes to give away to library members to the Rachmaninov concert! Congratulations Stephanie and Heidi who are the winners. 

Win tickets to DED All Stars vs Northland

The winner of the double pass to a DED All Stars vs Northland bout on Saturday 30th September was Roy Britten who picked his derby name as "Battler Britten".

This competition closed on 5pm, Wednesday 27th September.

Captain Underpants - movie tickets and prize pack

Open for ages 5 to 18, this competition closed Monday 18 September. 

Tickets to The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

We ran two exciting competitions during June and July 2017 for 10 family passes to The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show at the beautiful Isaac Theatre Royal.

  1. Craft Yourself a Creature - A Family Challenge! (all ages)
    Entries closed Friday 30 June 2017.
  2. My Very Own Hungry Caterpillar (for ages 0 to 12 years)
    Entries closed Wednesday 19 July 2017.

Double passes to NZSO's Schumann & Barber concert

We gave away 2 double passes to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Schumann & Barber concert on 21 June at the Isaac Theatre Royal.

The winners were Susanna and Kyla.

Double pass to opening night of Cinema Italiano Festival NZ

The Cinema Italiano Festival NZ runs from 14 to 25 June at the Academy Gold Cinema at The Colombo. We gave away a double pass to the opening night of the Festival.

This competition closed on 5 June 2017. The winner of the double pass was Esther Hughes.

Read our post featuring the picks of the festival.

What’s your favourite place to read? Tell us, and win three books from HarperCollins New Zealand

We gave away three awesome books kindly supplied by HarperCollins New Zealand. Entries closed 5pm Friday 19 May and a winner will be drawn and announced on Monday 22 May. Steve was the winner.

NZSO Mozart & Beethoven concert tickets

We are gave away 2 double passes to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Mozart and Beethoven concert on 4 April at Horncastle Arena.

The winners were:

  • C Dodd
  • W Harvie

Modern Māori Quartet and NZSO tickets

We gave away a double pass to the NZSO and Modern Māori Quartet concert at Horncastle Arena, Friday 3 March at 7pm.

The winners were:

  • G Caughley
  • F Brooker

Pixies concert tickets

We gave away a double pass to the Pixies concert on Thursday 9 March at Horncastle Arena. D Fernandes was the winner.

Summertime Reading Club Winners 2017

SR-Club-2016

Readers from ages 5 to 13 too part in our Summertime Reading Club. They submitted a completed reading passport in a competition that ran from 16 December 2016 to 31 January 2017, with 8 reading related activities to complete in an activities booklet.

Winners were selected by random draw on 10 February 2017. First prize was an iPad mini 2. Runner-up prizes by were 1 x Orana Family pass, 5 x $20 book vouchers, 5 x $20 Movie vouchers and 5 x pool pass packages.

iPad Mini 2 (1st Prize)
Charlie Au

Orana Family Pass
Diamond Binnie

Book vouchers
Georgia Malie
Ashley Brown
Yvaine Betito
Anastasia Dodd
Jacque Wu

Movie vouchers
Rose Brorens
Viswakala Duna
Emily Allan
Cate Donaldson-Scott
Torin Ward

Christchurch Photo Hunt 2016

Our annual heritage photo competition ran from 1-31 October. Prizes include a tablet or Kobo Glo eReader. Winners were announced 25 November.

Win tickets to the Church Tour

Find out how to enter in our blog post. Entries closed Wednesday 21 September. Hugh Joughin was the winner.

VIP afternoon tea with Andy Griffiths

Find out how to enter in our blog post. Entries closed Wednesday 7 September. Jorja was the winner!

Win a double pass to Disney's The BFG

Find out how to enter in our blog post. Entries closed Monday 20 June.

Win a double pass to the Cinema Italiano Festival

We gave away 2 double passes the Cinema Italiano Festival from 15 to 25 June, for any screening following the opening night.

Entries for this competion closed at 12pm on Friday 10 June 2016.

See our post about the festival for more information.

Striking Gold competition

Cover of Striking goldWe invited library members to leave a comment with their suggestion of a great sporting or history read by 5pm Friday 22 April.

The winner of one copy Striking Gold: New Zealand Hockey's Remarkable Victory at the 1976 Olympics was weta1000 who suggested the book Born to run by Christopher McDougall.

Summertime Reading Club Winners 2016

Readers aged 0-16 years of age submitted a reading adventure calendar that ran from 18 December to 18 January, with a box for each day to record how long was spent reading. Winners were selected by random draw on 29 January 2016. In each category, first prize is an iPad mini. Runner-up prizes by category are: 0-6 years - books, 7-12 years - pool passes, 13-16 years movie passes.

0-6 years

  • Merryn Campbell (first prize)
  • Greta Derrick
  • Emerald Jin
  • Hudson Scott
  • Sophie Stead
  • Zane Wyber

7-12 years

  • Emilia Cox-Smith (first prize)
  • Samuel Allan
  • Richard Anderson
  • Emma Bailey
  • Briana Banks
  • Isaac Baugh
  • Benjamin Blakie
  • Anika Brown
  • Clara Dujakvic
  • Oscar Hastings-Bell
  • Emily Haughey
  • Daniel Powley

13-16 years

  • Josh James (first prize)
  • Dominique Barrett
  • Saoirse Hill-Shearman
  • Harriet Rowse
  • Gloria Wong

#dinosinchch selfie competition

Dinosaur Footprints: A Story of Discovery was a national touring exhibition brought to you by GNS Science and New Zealand Oil & Gas and supported in Ōtautahi by Christchurch City Libraries. It was on from 14 November to 16 December at Fendalton Library. There was a competition - kids could snap a selfie at the exhibition and upload to social media with the hashtag #dinosinchch and be in to win cool dinosaur LEGO. Here are the winners.

Dinovember

In the spirit of DINOVEMBER, the dinosaurs have come to life at Shirley Library! Come in and check out our display or see our images on Flickr. Bring in a photo to Shirley Library of your dinosaurs doing stuff (with your contact details) and we’ll put your picture up on display and you’ll go into the competition to win some dino-mo prizes. Closed 30 November 2015.

Courtney Barnett competition

Our Courtney Barnett ticket competition closed 29 October 2015. The winner of the double pass was Rebecca Taekema.

Christchurch Photo Hunt 2015

The theme of Christchurch Photo Hunt 2015  is ‘Arrivals and Departures — The journeys that have shaped us’. Take ownership of your city’s heritage, send in some of your old photos to help grow a photographic archive.

All entries had to be made by 5pm Saturday 31 October, 2015. The winner was announced on Friday 27 November 2015.

  • Overall winner Jill Blacklock
  • Places Ali Beken
  • People Kathleen Morris
  • Collection Flora Marker

Winners in each category (Places, People, Collection) won a Kobo Glow eReader. The prize for overall winner was a tablet. View the winning entries in our Christchurch Photo Hunt 2015 - the winners blog post.

Every Story tells a Picture art comp for teens

Every Story Tells a Picture – Art Competition for teens on the Pulse. Closed 5pm on Friday 31 July 2015.

Matariki competition - win an eReader

Win a Kobo Glo eReader on Facebook or our blog. Competitions closed Sunday 21 June 2015.
Find out about the winners.

2014

  • Soundtrack to summer competition for teens (originally published on thepulse.org.nz, now closed)
  • Christchurch photo hunt

2013

2012

Winner of the 2012 A&P show competition

  • Best reads of 2012: Four lucky people shared our great Best reads of 2012 prizes. Congratulations to Barbara, Katharine, Kerrie and Linda.
  • Best books for kids
  • Canterbury A&P Show competition. Congratulations to the winner of our Canterbury A&P Show competition, Peter, who was very happy to receive his Kobo Touch eReader®.
  • MoreFM Sony E-Reader competition
  • 2012 Christchurch Photo Hunt
  • 2012 Women’s Lifestyle Expo - Guess how many pages in the book. The answer was 767. The two closest answers were 765 by F Reid and 776 by Aleisha Hurd.
  • 2012 New Zealand Music Month. Congratulations to Rosanna who won an iPod Nano®.
  • Customer satisfaction survey online 2012 - Harvey won an iPod Nano® for completing our survey.
  • 2012 Summertime Reading photography competition

2011

2010

  • 2010 iPod shuffle winner announced. Braden Warnock won the iPod shuffle. He was one of 117 customers who completed an online card sort for the Source.

2009

2008

2006 competitions

Print