Calendar & Tickets
Gala tickets
On sale until 10 October. Book now to secure your seat.
What’s included
- Welcome drink on arrival
- Substantial finger food throughout the evening
- Live entertainment
- Celebrations, speeches and stories
- Plenty of seating: sit, mingle, or both
Priced to cover the night.
Your $110 covers the food, a welcome drink, entertainment and venue for the evening. The gala is priced to break even. Any surplus goes straight to the Sumner School PTA, funding extra learning support, smaller class sizes, and resources for our tamariki.
You’re not just celebrating 150 years. You’re part of shaping the next 150.
Full Calendar of Events
Five events across the week. Most are free; the gala is ticketed. Booking is required for all events. Tap each event for detail.
Tue
13
Oct
Learning
Sumner School in action: 150 years of learning
11.00am
Sumner School in action: 150 years of learning
11.00amCome inside and see the school at work. Experience learning as it happens today, and how teaching has changed across 150 years.
Current teachers will guide small groups through the classrooms. It’s a chance for former students to see their school through fresh eyes, and for the wider community to spend a morning where six generations of Sumner children have learned.
Thu
15
Oct
People
Party time!
During the school day
Party time!
During the school dayA 150th birthday celebration for our current tamariki, marking this milestone in the story of our kura.
This one is for the current school community: the kids, their teachers, and their families. Not part of the public programme.
Fri
16
Oct
Place
150 Stories: Ka mua, ka muri
1.00pm – 5.00pm
150 Stories: Ka mua, ka muri
1.00pm – 5.00pm1.00pm. Mihi whakatau and formal welcome back to Sumner School.
The living museum. Step into 150 stories of our people, learning and place, alongside the children’s work from the term. Old photos, memorabilia, and the reflections our current students have gathered over Term 3.
3.00pm – 5.00pm. He kōrero, he kai. Afternoon tea and connection.
The Friday afternoon is the reunion moment before the gala. Unstructured, warm, and a chance to find the people you haven’t seen in years.
Sat
17
Oct
People
The Homecoming: He Huihuinga
10.00am – 1.00pm
The Homecoming: He Huihuinga
10.00am – 1.00pmPast students, whānau, staff, PTA, board members and friends: come back, reconnect, and celebrate the people who have shaped our kura.
10.00am. Welcome.
From 10.30am. Morning tea and connection. Walk the Story across 150 years, plus era and generational whānau photographs.
Bring the family. This is the daytime, all-ages homecoming: the moment for the group photos, for the grandparents to show the grandkids around the classrooms, and for six generations of Sumner families to share the same space.
Sat
17
Oct
Place · The centrepiece
Our 150th Anniversary Gala
6.00pm – 11.00pm
Our 150th Anniversary Gala
6.00pm – 11.00pmThe centrepiece of the week. An evening to celebrate the people, stories and spirit of our kura. Drinks, kai, dancing and memories.
Format is a standing cocktail with substantial finger food and plenty of seating, confirmed by community poll. You can sit, you can stand, you can move between the two. Older guests won’t be left standing all night.
Included in your ticket: welcome drink on arrival, substantial finger food throughout the evening, live entertainment, celebrations, speeches and stories.
Coming to the Gala?
Lock in your seat.
Saturday 17 October, 6.00pm to 11.00pm. $110 per person. Tickets close 10 October.
Questions we get asked
If we haven’t answered yours, email 150team@sumnerschool150.co.nz and we’ll get back to you.
Tickets
When do tickets go on sale?
Gala tickets are on sale now. Get your tickets →
How much are tickets?
Gala tickets are $110 per person. Ticket sales close on Friday 10 October, so book sooner rather than later.
What’s included in a ticket?
Your gala ticket includes a welcome drink on arrival, substantial finger food throughout the evening, live entertainment, and the full evening’s programme of celebrations, speeches and stories.
Additional drinks will be available at bar prices.
I registered my interest earlier. What now?
Yes, tickets are on sale now. Book your gala ticket here → Tickets close on 10 October, so we’d recommend booking sooner rather than later.
Not on the register yet? Add yourself here. Takes about two minutes.
Can I buy multiple tickets?
Yes. You can buy tickets for family members, friends, or a whole table’s worth. If you’re organising a big group and want to sit together, drop us a line at 150team@sumnerschool150.co.nz and we’ll try to help.
Are tickets refundable or transferable?
Tickets are generally non-refundable but they are transferable. If you can’t make it, you’re welcome to pass your ticket to someone else. Just email us with the change of name with the change of name.
The gala
What’s the format?
Standing cocktail with substantial finger food, but with plenty of seating available so no-one has to stand all night. Format was confirmed by community poll. More sociable and flexible than a formal sit-down dinner.
Is there seating for older guests?
Yes, generous seating including higher tables and chairs for those who’d rather not sit low, will be set up around the hall so guests can rest between conversations.
What’s the dress code?
Smart casual to dress-up: wear what makes the night feel special. No formal dress code, but people are welcome to bring out their best.
Can kids come to the gala?
No. The gala is an R18 event. For a family-friendly celebration, come along to The Homecoming on Saturday morning (10.00am – 1.00pm), which is all ages.
What time does it start and finish?
6.00pm start, 11.00pm close. Doors open a little earlier for arrivals.
The other events
Do I need to book for the free events?
Yes, booking is required for all the free events, so we can plan numbers. You can book free event spots alongside your gala ticket on our booking page.
Can I attend some events and not others?
Absolutely. Pick and choose. Many people will only come to one or two, and that’s completely fine. Book only what you plan to attend.
Getting here & access
Where exactly is Sumner School?
Sumner School / Te Kura o Matuku Takotako is at Colenso Street, Sumner, Christchurch 8081. About a 20-minute drive from central Christchurch, right by the beach.
Where can I park?
There is no parking at the school. Free street parking is available on the surrounding streets. For the gala evening please carpool, walk if you can, or catch a rideshare.
I have mobility or accessibility needs. Who should I contact?
Please email 150team@sumnerschool150.co.nz ahead of the event and let us know what you need. We’ll do our best to make sure you can attend comfortably. We’re especially conscious of guests travelling long distances and older attendees. please tell us in advance so we can plan around it.
I’m coming from overseas. any advice?
Book your travel sooner rather than later. October is spring here and things get busy. Christchurch has plenty of accommodation options; Sumner itself has a few B&Bs and holiday rentals if you want to stay close to the school. If you’d like a hand connecting with other overseas alumni who might want to share transport or accommodation, drop us a line.
Getting here & other essentials
Location
Sumner School / Te Kura o Matuku Takotako
Colenso Street
Sumner, Christchurch 8081
Parking
No parking at the school. Free street parking on the surrounding streets. For the gala evening, please carpool, walk, or catch a rideshare.
Accessibility
Please contact us ahead of the event if you have mobility or other access needs, so we can plan around them.
Questions
For anything else. ticket questions, group bookings, media enquiries. the school office is the best first stop.