Venue: Edmonds Band Rotunda
Address: 230 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch
Town: Christchurch, NZ

The Edmonds Band Rotunda is a rotunda in Christchurch, New Zealand. Created by baking powder manufacturer Thomas Edmonds in 1929 to celebrate his 50th year of living in the city, it was used initially as a place for brass bands to play music. It was converted to a restaurant in the 1980s. The 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes caused significant damage to the rotunda, and it had to be deconstructed. After being rebuilt, the rotunda re-opened in 2021 and is now used for performances. The rotunda has been listed with Heritage New Zealand as a Category 2 historic place since 1981. The Edmonds Band Rotunda was created by Thomas Edmonds, creator of the Edmonds baking powder, to celebrate his 50th year of living in Christchurch, as part of his River Bank Improvement Scheme. Listening to brass bands, which were subsidised by the city council, was a common form of entertainment at the time. After Edmonds made the offer to build the rotunda, the council accepted in April 1929. By May, the contract to build it had been given to builder Neil McGillivray.After construction of the rotunda had already started, Edmonds unveiled the foundation stone on 26 September 1929, after he had unveiled the foundation stones of two of his other buildings on the same day. The rotunda was formally opened on 11 November 1929, when Edmonds's wife cut the ribbon, and nine bands played. Due to a decline in the public interest of listening to band concerts, the rotunda gradually became unused. So in 1985 or 1986 (sources vary) it was changed to a restaurant, with the name of the Thomas Edmonds Restaurant, and later the Retour Restaurant. The rotunda's character remained the same, with windows being added between the pillars as well as striped awnings. The basement was converted into a kitchen and had bathrooms added. It opened on 1 March 1987, with two of Edmonds's daughters attending. After its supporting structures were damaged in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, the rotunda was added