About 60,000 people are expected to celebrate the Year of the Snake at the Chinese Lantern Festival in Christchurch on Saturday and Sunday.
The annual festival, now in its eighth year, will feature hundreds of lanterns hand crafted in China, on display in North Hagley Park.
Asia New Zealand Foundation director Jennifer King says the festival was forced to move to North Hagley Park last year after the Canterbury earthquakes.
She says the new location has increased the festival's popularity with visitor numbers increasing by more than 15,000.
Ms King says the festival's entertainment includes a Chinese acrobatic troupe and folk rock band.
