The Ellerslie International Flower Show is an annual garden show held in New Zealand. Previously held in the city of Auckland, the show moved to Christchurch at Hagley Park in 2008.
Each year, over 65,000 people visit the show during the five days in which it is open to the public. The show has been held every year since 1994, except 1997.
The first show was held in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie at the Ellerslie RaceCourse in 1994. The members of The Rotary Club of Auckland wanted to establish a unique fundraiser to raise money for local charities so they decided to host an event modeled on the famous Chelsea Flower Show in England. As of 2007[update] it has distributed a total of $700,000 for charity.
In 1998, it was moved to Manurewa, South Auckland, where it was held at the Auckland Botanic Gardens until the final show November 2007.
In 2004, the Rotary Club of Auckland sold the business to EFS Charitable Trust and SMC Group Ltd which now operates the event, with the intention of providing support at a community level and to the horticultural industry.
On 19 November 2007, the organisers sold the name and their services to the Christchurch City Council for NZ$3 million.[1] The show is worth $14 million to the regional economy each year.[2] Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee suggests that a new flower show will be organised in Auckland to replace the Ellerslie Flower Show.[3] The initial show in Christchurch, held in March 2009, attracted 75,000 visitors.[4]
On 2 December 2007, Auckland Flower Show Ltd announced that they will be continuing the tradition of the annual flower shows in Auckland with the Auckland Flower Show 2008.