Live on the Lawn 2026

Ashburton

Post-Time: 10:45:51pm on 28-05-26

What a day to be in Ashburton. Hundreds of locals came together on the Long Lawn in the Ashburton Domain for the second edition of Live on the Lawn—a free outdoor music event organized by the Ashburton District Council and supported by The Breeze radio station.

The afternoon was everything a community event should be: relaxed, warm, and full of genuine joy. Families spread out on picnic blankets, friends caught up over lunch from the food trucks, and the music of Mid Canterbury filled the autumn air from 11am onwards.

The all-local lineup was a true celebration of homegrown talent:

• Molly Harrison — a country singer-songwriter whose heartfelt original songs set a beautiful tone for the afternoon
• Amelia & Cam Luxton—a blues, country and folk duo whose warmth and chemistry were impossible not to love
• Tyrone Schwalger—an energetic performer who had the crowd on their feet
• The Mavericks — who closed the day with a crowd-pleasing set of sing-along anthems that sent everyone home smiling

The Ashburton Domain itself was a stunning backdrop — 37 hectares of gardens, mature trees, and open lawns right in the heart of town.

After an unsettled week of weather, the skies cleared perfectly on the day. As Council's Ian Hyde put it, it was "fantastic to see so many people turn up to support emerging and established Mid Canterbury talent."

Live on the Lawn is already shaping up to become one of Ashburton's most loved annual events—and if these images are anything to go by, next year can't come soon enough.