Nelson Anniversary Day

A DigitalNZ Story by nelsonmuseumnz

Nelson Anniversary Day commemorates the arrival of the first New Zealand company boat, the Fifeshire on 1 February 1842. Early European settlers led the celebrations by holding events featuring a sailing regatta, running races, horse races and shooting matches. The very first Nelson Anniversary was held on 1 February 1843. In 1892 the Nelson Jubilee Celebration was held alongside Nelson Anniversary Day and was a week long programme featuring concerts, sports, a ball and also a fireworks display. A highlight of the week was the Nelson Regatta, held on 2 February 1892. The totara dugout owned by four local lads who sailed from Rabbit Island to Port Nelson for the 1892 regatta is in the Museum’s collection. Waterskiing was a popular choice at the 1916 Nelson Regatta and in 1920 a carnival was held in the Botanical Reserve. Throughout the years the tradition of celebrating Nelson Anniversary Day has been kept alive and in our modern world it is now very much a welcomed day of rest.

Nelson Anniversary, Regatta