ANZAC Day

Anzac Day is an integral event on our city’s annual calendar. The national day of remembrance commemorates all New Zealanders killed in war and honours returned servicemen and women. Council will host two services in Te Marae o Hine – The Square at the Cenotaph on Sunday 25 April. Each service will be 45 minutes to 1 hour long and you’re welcome to attend both. The national theme for the 2021 Anzac Day and Poppy Appeal is Women in Service.

The dawn service of remembrance starts at 6 am on Sunday 25 April.

This year we commemorate Palmy’s 150th year. We are combining the civic commemoration service with a 10 am Sesquicentennial Charter Parade to acknowledge our ongoing partnership with Linton Military Camp and Ohakea Air Base. The charter parade will start outside Te Manawa on Main Street at 9.50 am.

The two services will be streamed live in Te Marae o Hine – The Square. A big screen will be facing the grassed area opposite our Central Library. We encourage you to bring a chair if you’re unable to stand for the full service. There won’t be tiered seating onsite this year.

Other services being held in Palmy:
- Bunnythorpe Cenotaph - 9.30 am
- Ashhurst Village Green - 6 am dawn service and 12 noon civic service
- Māori Battalion Hall - 10.30 am

Alongside the National Office of the RNZRSA we encourage people to Stand at Dawn if you’re unable to make a service. The Stand at Dawn initiative was introduced in 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown. #StandAtDawn is a campaign by the RSA and NZ Defence Force, encouraging Kiwi's to wear their poppy at 6am and head to their lounge, letterbox, driveway, garden or balcony and stand at dawn.

The annual Poppy Appeal is happening on Friday 16 April. This is the primary source of funds for the RSA’s extensive provision of support services to the service community.