Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day is around the corner and will be a historic day for Aotearoa New Zealand.
The day will mark the life and passing of Queen Elizabeth, who died on September 8.
The one-off public holiday on Monday, September 26, has quickly passed into law - leaving some confusion on what rules apply on the day.
What is open
All cafes, restaurants and retailers will be allowed to open on Monday - However, some Wellington City Council services will be closed.
But don't worry, there will be no restrictions on the sale of alcohol so Kiwis can still raise a glass of Her Majesty's favourite Gordon's London Dry Gin.
"There will be no additional shop trading restrictions on Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day public holiday and the normal rules apply for employees who work on a public holiday. I encourage employers to familiarise themselves with these ahead of the day," Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood.
However, with employers forced to pay staff higher penal rates to work on public holidays, some businesses may not be able to afford to open.
Some Wellington City Council services and facilities will be impacted by the national public holiday.
The council said all pools, Wellington City Libraries and community recreation centres will be closed and the ASB Sports Centre will have reduced hours from 2pm to 9:30pm.
The good news is council parking on street and waterfront will be free, but Clifton Car Park's normal rates will apply.
Rubbish and recycling collections will be operating as usual.
How the day will be celebrated
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day will also coincide with the state memorial service, which will be held in Wellington and broadcast across the country.
The state memorial service will be held in Wellington's Cathedral of St Paul on Monday, September 26 and will be televised and live streamed.
A national minute of silence will be observed at 2pm on Monday.
"We anticipate many people will want the opportunity to pay their respects and this public holiday offers communities across the country the ability to come together and pay tribute at their own local events also," Wood said.
A memorial will also be held at Christchurch’s Transitional Cathedral at 5pm on Sunday and will be live streamed on the cathedral's website.
There will also be a service for the Queen in Auckland at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell on Monday.
The service will begin at 5pm and the Auckland Council is encouraging those who plan to attend to arrive on time.
Many of Tāmaki Makaurau's most recognisable landmarks will light up in royal purple, including Vector Lights on Auckland Harbour Bridge, Te Ara I Whiti – The Lightpath, Auckland War Memorial Museum, the Sky Tower, Eden Park, and Quay Street lights, with more to be announced.
Where to watch
Newshub will be the official broadcaster of The Queen Elizabeth II state memorial service on Monday.
The event will be broadcast live and commercial-free on Three, ThreeNow and newshub.co.nz.
For more information on the broadcast click here.
