Archive

23 September – 2 October 2026 | Henderson Gallery & Grant Gallery, Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery Spring has arrived in Central Otago, and with it comes one of the region’s best-loved traditions — the Central Otago Art Society’s Blossom Festival Art Exhibition. Now in its 51st year, this Read more

FREE | Self-directed | 26 September – 11 October | 10am–4pm, 7 days a week This school holidays, Central Stories Museum & Art Gallery is celebrating two things at once: New Zealand’s longest-running festival right here in Alexandra, and DreamWorks’ brand-new movie Forgotten Island, showing now at Central Cinema Alexandra. Read more

Fleeting red flares dance above thunderstorms, invisible to the naked eye and dismissed as pilots’ tales for a century — until 1989. Join Canadian artist Peter McLeish as he shares two decades spent turning this rare atmospheric phenomenon into art, in collaboration with NASA-linked scientists. Fire in the sky, too Read more

Douce Ambiance — literally “sweet sounds” — returns to Alexandra as part of their 14-centre South Island tour, and Central Stories is thrilled to welcome them back for another evening among the art. As part of their 14 centre tour through South Island, the popular and skilled ensemble Douce Ambiance, Read more

The WoolOn Community Expo brings the magic to you. See the winning garments fresh from Saturday night’s prize-giving. This year’s WoolOn Gala brought a 600-strong crowd to its feet at the Alexandra Bowling Club — and now you can see the winning garments up close, right here at Central Stories. Read more

Showing 20 – 30 September 2026 Winterstellar Charitable Trust presents a spectacular exhibition celebrating the extraordinary night skies of Central Otago and Te Waipounamu, featuring work by some of New Zealand’s leading astrophotographers. Now in the Heafey Gallery, for a short time, visitors can experience large-scale astrophotography, immersive installations and Read more

Wednesday 2 September | Central Stories, AlexandraDoors 7pm | Show 7:30–9:30pm | $30 General Admission | Family friendly Alexandra singer-songwriter and local schoolteacher Liz Conway brings her new album Perspectives home for its Central Stories launch. Written over the past ten years, the album traces different seasons of life — Read more

Mānawatia a Matariki! Happy Matariki, Alexandra! Celebrate the Māori New Year these school holidays with our Night Sky Whetū Explorer Challenge — a fun, hands-on activity programme for tamariki and whānau exploring the wonders of the night sky. Running throughout the school holidays until Sunday 19 July, the challenge is Read more

NEW NIGHT ADDED- Thursday 16 July 2026 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm Tuesday 14 July 2026 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm — BOOKED OUT Early in the morning of 14 July 1906, the sleeping town of Alexandra was awakened by the furious ringing of the fire-bell in Skird Street. Four miners were Read more