Show Week 2026 in Christchurch: Race Day and A&P Show Transport Without the Parking Stress
Show Week is Christchurch at its most glamorous. Hats, fascinators and tailored suits head for the racecourse, farmers and families head for the A&P Show, and Canterbury gets a long weekend to enjoy it all.
It is also the week when car parks run short, drop-off zones get busy and the journey home can feel far less elegant than the journey there. If you are heading to Riccarton Park, Addington Raceway or the Canterbury A&P Show this year, here is what is on, what to wear and how to arrive looking exactly as good as when you left.
Show Week 2026 at a glance
Saturday 7 November: NZ 1000 Guineas Day, Riccarton Park
Tuesday 10 November: Trotting Cup Day, Addington Raceway
Wednesday 11 November: TAB Mile Day, Riccarton Park, with Fashion in the Field heats
Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 November: Canterbury A&P Show, Canterbury Agricultural Park, 102 Curletts Road
Friday 13 November: Canterbury Anniversary Day, with Show Day Races at Addington
Saturday 14 November: New Zealand Cup Day and NZ 2000 Guineas, Riccarton Park
Race times can change, so check with the venue before locking in a pick-up.
The real problem: getting there
Riccarton Park’s own guidance is blunt: parking is limited, and racegoers are encouraged to use taxis, buses or rideshares. General admission parking is off Steadman Road at the back of the course, while members and corporate ticket holders park on the grass off Racecourse Road, with overflow once that fills. Rideshares drop off and collect outside the Racecourse Hotel, and Metro bus 130 stops at the course.
That works, until it doesn’t. Cup Day at Riccarton sold out four years running up to 2023, and when thousands of people leave at once after the last race, a shared drop-off zone or a bus stop is not where you want to be in your best shoes. Add a public holiday on Friday 13 November and Show Week traffic is something to plan for, not hope about.
What to wear
Riccarton Park requires smart dress on Cup Day. That means no shorts, sneakers, jandals, T-shirts or caps, and the club can refuse entry if the dress code is not met. Cup Day is also an R18 event. Fashion in the Field is a headline feature of the week, with heats on Wednesday and finals on Saturday, so plenty of guests dress to compete.
A wide-brimmed hat or fascinator is much happier in the back of a Mercedes-Benz than squashed on a bus. Addington runs its own fashion competition on Trotting Cup Day, so check each venue’s guidance before you go.
Choosing your vehicle
Our fleet is Mercedes-Benz, and we price per vehicle, not per person, so a group shares one fare.
S-Class: an elegant, comfortable arrival for couples, executives and VIP guests.
V-Class: five or six passengers, with room for bags.
Sprinter: up to 11 passengers, or 12 in our upgraded leather-seat version, for a table, a team or a family reunion.
For a table of ten heading to the races, one Sprinter means one arrival, one departure and nobody circling for a park.
Hosting clients this Show Week?
Show Week is also client entertainment season. Many of Riccarton’s premium hospitality options for 11 and 14 November, including private suites and villas, have already sold out, which says a lot about corporate demand.
If you have secured a spot, the way your guests arrive sets the tone before the first race. ChauffeurNZ provides corporate and VIP transport in Christchurch, so you can book one coordinated plan for airport arrivals, hotel pick-ups, venue drop-offs and a late-afternoon return.
Heading to the A&P Show?
The Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show runs from Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 November at Canterbury Agricultural Park, and organisers say it welcomes more than 70,000 visitors. If you are bringing family, visiting guests or out-of-town clients, a private vehicle means no parking hunt and no carrying your purchases across a paddock. The same goes for the Show Day Races at Addington on the Friday.
A simple race-day plan
Tell us your venue, group size and expected finish, and we plan around you. A typical Cup Day looks like this:
Pick-up from your hotel or home mid-morning, in time for gates opening at 10am.
Drop-off at your gate, with the return pick-up point agreed before you leave.
A pre-arranged pick-up after the last race, so you skip the post-race scramble.
Why book with ChauffeurNZ
Trusted since 2015, with experienced local drivers who know Christchurch’s roads.
Professional chauffeurs who are trained, licensed and background-checked.
A Mercedes-Benz fleet, from S-Class to Sprinter, priced per vehicle.
Meet-and-greet for airport arrivals, useful when guests fly in for the week.
Show Week transport FAQ
How far ahead should I book?
As early as you can. Show Week dates are fixed and demand bunches around a few days, so Cup Day, Trotting Cup Day and Show Day are the likeliest to book out.
Can I book a return trip?
Yes. Our booking form handles return journeys. Tell us when you expect to finish and we will agree a pick-up time.
Which venue is which?
Thoroughbred racing is at Riccarton Park on 7, 11 and 14 November. Harness racing is at Addington Raceway on Tuesday 10 and Friday 13 November. The A&P Show is on Curletts Road.
Can you collect guests from the airport?
Yes. Christchurch Airport transfers are one of our core services.
Show Week starts on 7 November, and the best days fill quickly. Request a quote at chauffeurnz.com, email info@chauffeurnz.com or call 0800 511 133. Tell us your venue, date, group size and pick-up address, and we will come back with a tailored quote.
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