The 25th Pasifika Festival is being held on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March at Western Springs Park.
Anniversary celebrations are already underway with a live art installation happening at the Lower Queen Street Plaza, out the front of Britomart Station. You can see artists Charles and Janine Williams on site daily from 10am - 2pm working on the 40 metre temporary mural.
The mural – called The Pacific Journey – celebrates 25 years of the Pasifika Festival. It references the 11 different Pacific nations represented at the festival, the great Polynesian navigators who risked their lives in search of new land and broader futures for their people, and their skills, including celestial navigation and observing sea birds in their search for land.
On a site that is passed by 50,000 people every day, the mural will be in its current place until May 2017, and will then be used in other areas around the Britomart/CRL works. It was jointly commissioned and funded by Auckland Tourism, Events, Economic Development (ATEED), Auckland Transport and Auckland Council.
ATEED Head of Major Events, Charmaine Ngarimu says the mural graces one of Auckland’s major arrival points, where thousands of commuters and visitors will see it each day.
“Tāmaki Makaurau is the largest Polynesian city in the world, and Pasifika the largest cultural festival of its kind in the world. Marking 25 years of the Pasifika Festival with art that recognises the navigational journey of many of our ancestors, in one of Auckland’s main connection points seems a fitting tribute to the voyage the festival has been on and will continue to traverse into the future.”
Pasifika is a free, family-friendly festival and is a great way to experience the diverse cultures of our Pacific whanau, with 11 villages representing the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Aotearoa, Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Tonga and Tokelau.
Actor and renowned screenwriter Oscar Kightley will join celebrity foodies Robert Oliver and Aaron and Heather Freeman to judge the PAK’NSAVE Ultimate Kaimaster Food Awards. They will have the mighty task of sampling over 50 dishes created by Pasifika food stallholders. The top three dishes will be recognised for using traditional techniques to create healthy, authentic Pacific Island food. Winners will be presented with their awards on Saturday lunchtime (Cook Island stage), allowing visitors plenty of time to try the winning dishes.
You won’t want to miss the special 25th anniversary showcase happening on Saturday afternoon (Samoan stage) featuring Ura Tabu Dance Group and Resonate performing their Moana mash-up.
While Saturday has a festive and busy vibe, Sunday is a good choice for those who prefer a more relaxed pace. Resonate will be kicking off the day’s activities with a choral anniversary celebration with other singing groups in Fiji village at 10am.
Proudly supported by AMI Insurance, Pasifika Festival is one of Auckland’s four major cultural festivals, along with the Auckland Lantern Festival, Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival and Auckland Diwali Festival. It is being delivered for the third year by Orange Productions on behalf of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development’s (ATEED) and Auckland Council.
Other sponsors include Mai FM, Air New Zealand, Edgewater Resort and Spa, PAK’NSAVE, Charlie’s Drinks, Pasefika Proud and more.
To find out more about Pasifika Festival 2017, go to:
- www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika
- Facebook – What’s on in Auckland
- Instagram – @PasifikaFestival_AKL
Notes to editor:
- The 25th anniversary Pasifika Festival is at Western Springs Park, on Saturday 25 March (10am - 6pm) and Sunday 26 March (10am - 4pm) 2017.
- This year the festival is being held two weeks later than usual to fit in with other events happening in Auckland.
- More than 60,000 visitors are expected over the two days.
- Approximately 220 performance groups (both local and international)
- More than 200 food and craft stalls
- Television personality Oscar Kightley will join celebrity foodies Robert Oliver (author of Me’a Kai, presenter of Real Pasifik television series) and Aaron & Heather Freeman (My Kitchen Rules 2014) to judge the PAK’NSAVE Ultimate Kaimaster Awards. The awards recognise food stalls that use traditional techniques to create healthy, authentic dishes at Pasifika.
- A special 25th Anniversary Showcase performance featuring Ura Tabu Dance Company and vocal group Resonate will be held on Saturday 25 March, 4-6pm (Samoa Village)
- Resonate will return on Sunday morning at 10am, at the Fijian Village, to perform in the 25th anniversary choral celebration with other Pacific choral groups.
- The craft stalls offer an extensive range of products to purchase, including clothing, hand-made ukuleles and Cook Islands pearls.
- Applications for stallholders and performers remain open until 10 March 2017. To apply, go to www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika
- Attached is the media accreditation form for media interested in documenting the festival.