Christchurch’s Cathedral Square has been turned into a giant outdoor gallery of wool art, after the city’s yarn bombing festival Yarnarchy kicked off on 20 September 2026.
Yarn bombing is when knitted or crocheted material is used to brighten up public spaces, like lamp posts, benches or statues, instead of paint.
The free festival will run until 18 October 2026, filling the square with wild crochet and knitted installations made by local craftspeople.
Some of the artworks are made by just one person, while others are built from hundreds of individual pieces stitched together by different crafters.
Yarnarchy is led by Kate Finnerty, with support from Creative New Zealand, Christchurch City Council, Watch This Space and Silent Disco NZ. As part of the festival, visitors can join community workshops to learn yarn crafts themselves, and people of all skill levels are welcome to take part.
There’s even a special Silent Disco Tour, where people wander the square listening to music through headphones while admiring the woolly artworks.
Anyone visiting Cathedral Square over the next month is likely to spot something bright, fuzzy and a little bit wonderful.
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