Invercargill's Civic Theatre will mark 120 years since its opening with two anniversary events next month: a five-course dinner served on the stage on Friday 13 November and a free community open day with behind-the-scenes tours on Saturday 14 November.

The building, originally the Invercargill Town Hall and Theatre, was opened on 14 November 1906 by Governor Lord Plunket and Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward. It is a Category 1 Historic Place and is listed as one of the country's significant heritage theatres.

The Dinner in the Spotlight starts at 6pm on 13 November, with diners seated on the stage of the 1015-seat auditorium, looking out at the seats that audiences have filled for 120 years. Entertainment during the dinner is being provided by local performers.

The open day follows from 10am on Saturday 14 November, the anniversary itself, with free entry and guided tours taking visitors into parts of the building the public does not normally see.

Mr Sycamore has spent the year drawing attention to the theatre's story. Speaking to the Southland Tribune and What's On Invers in June, when the anniversary programme was first flagged, he said: "The Civic has witnessed the history of this town, from the advent of electric trams to the rise and fall of prohibition."

For its first six decades the building housed the Invercargill Borough Council's offices alongside the theatre. The council moved out in the 1960s and only resumed meeting there in 2024. Over the years the venue has hosted opera, musicals, ballet, orchestras and drama, served as a cinema and even a boxing ring, and in 2005 staged the world premiere of The World's Fastest Indian. Earlier this year it hosted the funeral of Sir Tim Shadbolt, the city's longest-serving mayor.

The theatre almost did not make it this far. By the 1970s it was in poor condition and there were repeated calls for it to be demolished. A major upgrade in 1983 saved it, and a full refurbishment in 2005 brought it up to modern safety and comfort standards. "Luckily, there was enough foresight at the time to fix it up and save it for future generations," Mr Sycamore said in June.

The anniversary comes as the Civic's summer season fills up, with the Royal New Zealand Ballet's The Sleeping Beauty on 18 November and a run of Christmas and early-2027 shows already listed.

The Dinner in the Spotlight is on Friday 13 November from 6pm and the Community Open Day on Saturday 14 November from 10am, both at the Civic Theatre, 88 Tay Street, Invercargill. The open day is free. Pricing and bookings for the dinner have not been published online; enquiries can be made to the Civic Theatre box office on (03) 211 1777.