RWC2011 Quarter Finals Weekend

Rugby World Cup 2011 has been a stunning success in Wellington and this weekend will be our biggest with lots on and plenty of opportunity to celebrate.

We're proud to be hosting two quarter-final matches - Saturday and Sunday at 6.00pm - and many people will also be in town to watch screenings of the other quarter-finals on in Auckland at 8.30pm both nights. And don't forget the Festival of Carnivale's jam-packed schedule of great music, culture, exhibitions and more.

Getting into Venues

If you're coming into the CBD to watch matches or enjoy the entertainment, remember that many venues are expected to fill up. Whether you're planning on settling in at the free, family-friendly Town Hall, enjoying the atmosphere of the waterfront or Courtenay Live Site FANZONEs, or hitting your favourite local watering hole - get there early and be prepared to come up with a plan B if your choice of venue is full.

We'll be carefully monitoring crowd size at all public venues and access will be closed when they reach capacity. There will be some information about alternative venues on FANZONE big screens and temporary LED-lit signs in high-profile locations, and there will be plenty of volunteers and security staff on hand.

One alternative might be the Arena (the events centre) on Queens Wharf - it'll be used for match screenings if other sites are full. It will be another alcohol-free family-friendly venue.

Festival of Carnivale

Top New Zealand musicians will take the stage in the waterfront FANZONE and in Courtenay Place - Midnight Youth, Hollie Smith, Knives at Noon, the Thomas Oliver Band, the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra and others will be on show.

The South African Cultural Festival is back in Civic Square on Saturday and Sunday, Illuma will light up the waterfront for the last time on Sunday night, and the Winter Garden ice skating rink continues at Queen's Wharf.

And remember - some events will continue on after the festival officially finishes.

What's Next?

Of course, there's lots more RWC 2011 action still to come, with the semi-finals, bronze final and final in Auckland over the following two weekends. Now the matches will be screened here and the FANZONE will be open.