Category: Auckland Tourism

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Destination AKL 2025: a new direction for Auckland’s visitor economy

Auckland’s visitor economy has embarked on an exciting new direction of travel today with the launch of Destination AKL 2025 – a new strategy that encourages the sustainable growth of one of Auckland’s and New Zealand’s most important industries.

Destination AKL 2025 has been initiated by Auckland…

Published
11 MAY 2018

Auckland’s visitor economy has embarked on an exciting new direction of travel today with the launch of Destination AKL 2025 – a new strategy that encourages the sustainable growth of one of Auckland’s and New Zealand’s most important industries.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Auckland wins Ultimate Sports City third time running

Auckland has been named ‘Best Medium City’ at the prestigious SportsBusiness Ultimate Sports City Awards for the third consecutive time.

The awards, which happen every two years, were announced at the 2018 Sport Accord World Sport and Business Summit in Bangkok last night.

Auckland’s accolade com…

Published
17 APR 2018

Auckland has been named ‘Best Medium City’ at the prestigious SportsBusiness Ultimate Sports City Awards for the third consecutive time.

The awards, which happen every two years, were announced at the 2018 Sport Accord World Sport and Business Summit in Bangkok last night.

Auckland’s accolade comes on the back of the biggest periods in its history for major events, including the World Masters Games 2017, the British & Irish Lions Series, Rugby League World Cup 2017 and Volvo Ocean Race stopover, in addition Auckland’s annual major events portfolio – a diverse range of cultural, sporting and lifestyle events.

The ‘Best Medium City’ award is open to cities with populations between 1.3 and 2 million. Auckland joined an exclusive group of London, New York, Melbourne and Glasgow, as the overall and city category winners.*

Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff says, “Sporting events make our city a more interesting and exciting place to live. They attract tens of thousands of competitors and spectators from around the world and inject money into our regional economy.

“Major sporting events allow us to show off everything a world class Auckland has to offer. They support our venues and thousands of people working in a range of industries around our region,” says Mayor Goff.

Head of Major Events for Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), Stuart Turner says Auckland was commended for its strong and transparent major events strategy, its successful policy of creating home-grown events, and its high scores across the judging categories.

“This latest accolade reinforces Auckland’s reputation as a major events city which can deliver world-class events – and that’s important as we compete internationally to host events which inject tens of millions into our economy every year.

“We are renowned for our natural outdoor facilities – sailing, triathlon, running and cycling events are frequently held along Auckland’s waterfront, in the Waitematā Harbour and on Auckland’s iconic Harbour Bridge, which all provide beautiful environments for athletes to race in, great vantage points for spectators and stunning images for event broadcasts.

“Hosting major events is a proven, internationally recognised way to generate social and economic benefits for cities, and Auckland is at the top of its game as a host city.”

Since Auckland’s Major Events Strategy was approved by Auckland Council in 2011, ATEED-sponsored major events have contributed $360 million to the regional economy and 2.2m visitor nights (from 2011/12 FY – 2016/17 FY).

* London was best overall Ultimate Sports City, while New York, Melbourne and Glasgow took best extra-large, large and small city awards.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: DIGMYIDEA Māori Innovation Challenge launches seeking out budding digital entrepreneurs

The DIGMYIDEA Māori Innovation Challenge is now open, with the competition calling on budding Māori digital entrepreneurs to put their ideas forward. 

DIGMYIDEA – now in its third year – aims to inspire more Māori to engage in the digital economy by helping emerging Māori innovators turn their crea…

Published
17 APR 2018

The DIGMYIDEA Māori Innovation Challenge is now open, with the competition calling on budding Māori digital entrepreneurs to put their ideas forward. 

DIGMYIDEA – now in its third year – aims to inspire more Māori to engage in the digital economy by helping emerging Māori innovators turn their creative ideas into reality. 

Individuals, or teams of up to five people, can enter DIGMYIDEA, with $10,000 worth of business startup assistance going to the overall winning entries in the following two categories:  

• Rerenga o te Kora: (15-24 year olds)  
• Muranga o te Ahi:  (25 years and over) 

 DIGMYIDEA entries must be exciting, innovative, digital and entrepreneurial. They can be anything from an app to a web programme, or even a digital extension of a more traditional business. 

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) General Manager Business, Innovation and Skills Pam Ford says DIGMYIDEA helps to find promising entrepreneurial talent which can be nurtured and developed. 

“The competition aims to stimulate the interest and involvement of Māori within New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem, which is a unique point of difference both at home and on the world stage, and an important part of building the technology sector,” she says.

“Ideas should have the potential to create economic opportunities for Māori and other New Zealanders, as well as be considered for the export market,” Pam Ford says.

DIGMYIDEA 2015 winner, Josh Arnold (Ngāpuhi) – who jointly won the 15 to 18 year age category – is now studying at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). The university, close to Silicon Valley, is one of the world’s leading cross-disciplinary research and teaching institutions. 

While Josh’s idea ‘Hang’, an application which encourages people to socialise with friends in real life, wasn’t feasible to continue in the end, he says the whole experience took him on a valuable journey. 

“DIGMYIDEA was really my first introduction to the business world. It helped me create a vision for my future and this motivated me to work harder at school. This helped me go on to study at UC Davis where I’m finishing my first year studying computer science and biology,” he says. 

“I have a particular interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and how this technology can be applied to make a real global difference. I’m soon to start the Silicon Valley Innovation Camp as part of Stanford University’s summer school where ideas are to focus around ‘having a positive impact on the world’. 

“I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries with other students and designing ambitious new ideas that can make a real difference,” Josh says. 

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in mid-winter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year. The DIGIwānanga – a mentoring workshop where finalists will pitch their ideas in front of judges – will run from 6-8 July which is when Matariki can be seen just above the horizon before the sun comes up; a great connection between a new year and the birth of new ideas.  

A DIGMYIDEA Hack-A-Thon is also being held as part of Techweek’18. This one day event (Saturday, 19 May) is designed for Māori with digital business aspirations to come together and use technology to transform ideas into reality. Ideas as part of the Hack-A-Thon can also be submitted for the DIGMYIDEA Māori Innovation Challenge. 

DIGMYIDEA entries should be submitted through the website www.digmyidea.nz by Sunday, 27 May 2018. 

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Auckland wins international AI conference

The latest developments in the fascinating and fast-moving world of artificial intelligence will be revealed and discussed in Auckland in 2020, when the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS) comes to New Zealand for the first time in its nearly 20-year history….

Published
16 APR 2018

The latest developments in the fascinating and fast-moving world of artificial intelligence will be revealed and discussed in Auckland in 2020, when the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS) comes to New Zealand for the first time in its nearly 20-year history.

More than 500 delegates from around the world are expected to attend the five-day conference in April/May 2020, delivering more than 2400 visitor nights and nearly $900,000 in economic value to the region.

AAMAS is the largest and most influential global conference focused on agents and multi-agent systems – key elements of artificial intelligence which are widely applied in robotics, smart mobile systems and decision support systems.

The conference will bring together researchers and practitioners in all areas of agent technology and provide a single, high-profile forum for research in theory and practice.

The New Zealand bid team was led by Dr Quan Bai at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and Professor Michael Winikoff from the University of Otago – with support from Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development’s Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB) and Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme.

Dr Bai, Senior Lecturer at AUT’s School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, says it will be just the second time in 20 years that AAMAS will be held in Oceania: “That is fantastic recognition of New Zealand’s emergence in the highly specialised world of autonomous agents and multi-agent systems.

“It wasn’t easy to win the bid against strong competition, and the hard work isn’t over. In fact, it starts all over again now as we aim to deliver a fantastic, highly successful AAMAS.”

Head of ACB, Anna Hayward says: “Securing another significant international conference brings great opportunities for Auckland and New Zealand’s scientists to showcase their world-class expertise to an influential international audience, and to build important global relationships.

“Following hot on the heels of a series of major recent international business event wins ACB has assisted with, this is further great news for Auckland and New Zealand’s visitor economy.”

Tourism New Zealand’s Manager of Business Events and Premium, Lisa Gardiner says: “Attracting globally-renowned conferences such as this one support Tourism New Zealand’s strategy to grow the value of international tourism to New Zealand.

“They benefit the economy and support sector growth, including the creation of high value jobs for New Zealanders.”

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio 2018/19

A diverse range of cultural, lifestyle and sporting events happening in Auckland over the coming financial year will receive public investment as part of Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) invests in major events on behalf of Auckland Counci…

Published
11 APR 2018

A diverse range of cultural, lifestyle and sporting events happening in Auckland over the coming financial year will receive public investment as part of Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) invests in major events on behalf of Auckland Council to generate economic and social benefits for the region and its people.

ATEED is investing in 20 major events in 2018/19, including 14 events that successfully applied for sponsorship through the annual contestable funding round.

The latest funding round saw ATEED receive 49 applications requesting a total of $8.9 million in sponsorship funding, with approximately $1.35 million available to allocate for contestable major events sponsorship.

Since Auckland’s Major Events Strategy was approved by Auckland Council in 2011, ATEED-sponsored major events have contributed $360 million to the regional economy and 2.2m visitor nights (from 2011/12 FY – 2016/17 FY).

ATEED Head of Major Events Stuart Turner says major events – defined by their scale and projected benefits – are recognised internationally as a means deliver significant social and economic outcomes for cities and their populations.

“Festivals like Tāmaki Herenga Waka and Pasifika help celebrate and demonstrate to Aucklanders and visitors what is unique about this place and its people.

“Events like the ITM Auckland SuperSprint and ASB Classic draw visitors from outside Auckland to come and enjoy what’s on offer here, and international broadcast coverage of them highlights Auckland as a host city and destination. And all these events provide work for local event operators, suppliers, services and workers.”

Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio 2018/19

Event	Date	Venue
FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers: Tall Blacks v China	1 July 2018	Spark Arena
2018 Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival	7 – 17 July 2018	Various
New Zealand International Film Festival	19 July – 5 Aug 2018	Various
All Blacks vs Australia	25 Aug 2018	Eden Park
New Zealand Fashion Week	24 Aug – 2 Sep 2018	ANZ Viaduct Events Centre
Auckland On Water Boat Show	27 – 30 Sep 2018	ANZ Viaduct Events Centre and Viaduct Harbour
Auckland Diwali Festival	20 – 21 Oct 2018	Aotea Square
ASB Auckland Marathon	28 Oct 2018	Various
ITM Auckland SuperSprint	2-4 Nov	Pukekohe Park Raceway
Farmers Santa Parade	25 Nov 2018	Central city
ASB Classic	31 Dec 2018 – 12 Jan 2019	ASB Tennis Arena
Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival	Jan 2019	TBC
Auckland Lantern Festival	14 – 17 Feb 2019	Auckland Domain
Auckland Pride Parade	16 Feb 2019	Ponsonby Rd
Splore Music and Arts Festival	21 – 24 Feb 2019	Tapapakanga Regional Park
Sculpture on the Gulf	25 Jan – 17 Feb 2019	Waiheke
Pasifika Festival	23 – 24 March 2019	Western Springs Park
NZ International Comedy Festival	1 – 26 May 2019	Various
Auckland Writers Festival	14 -19 May 2019	Aotea Centre
Auckland Art Fair	1-5 May 2019	The Cloud

* Confirmed events at 11 April 2017, details may be subject to change.

Of the 20 events confirmed for the 2018/19 portfolio, 14 are arts, lifestyle and cultural events, with the balance being sporting events.

Negotiations are now underway with event organisers/promoters/owners to confirm investment details and conditions. All ATEED funding for major events is subject to performance-based contracts.

All sponsored events in Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio are assessed for their ability to generate new money (GDP) for Auckland, grow domestic and international visitor nights, build awareness of Auckland internationally, and provide Aucklanders with the chance to enjoy world-class events.

ATEED takes a portfolio approach to major events. This sees the value of Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio as the combined results it delivers for generating visitor nights, regional GDP and liveability – making Auckland an interesting and desirable place to live, work, visit, play, study and invest.

Auckland’s Major Events Portfolio complements regional and community events, supported by other parts of the Auckland Council family, as well as the region’s arts, sporting and cultural organisations, and private-sector funded events.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Kia Ora. The Insider’s Guide to Auckland

Auckland – an exhilarating mix of sights and sounds – is home to some of the best experiences in the country.

Whether you’re here on a day trip or for the week, Auckland’s full of fun ways to fill your time. This city busily bustles by day, and hosts a vibrant night-life at sundown. 

Even if you’r…

Published
09 APR 2018

In for a laugh.

From belly-filling to belly-laughing, you can tick dinner and a show off your list thanks to the range of Auckland theatres in the central city. See local and international comedians, musical acts and dance performances at the Q Theatre, The Civic or the newly opened ASB Waterfront Theatre – all have great eateries nearby. And if you want to venture out beyond the city, you can always have a quick search for local events happening across the Auckland region, such as cultural festivals, concerts and sports events.

Choose your poison.

The night’s not over yet. Add the finishing touches to your evening in the glitz and glam of Ponsonby Road. The bars, restaurants and clubs shift into overdrive as local night owls pop bottles of fine champagne and groove to the resident DJ. Make a sharp turn left and you’ll find yourself amongst the eccentric and colourful nightlife of Karangahape Road. This is the place for quirky live performances, underground bars and an alternative scene that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

Morning markets.

If you find yourself adventurous enough for an early morning start after a night out, be sure to experience Auckland’s markets. La Cigale offers a slice of France in the heart of the city – serving up authentic warm goods, pastries, cheeses and much more. If you’re up for the trip north, the sunny Matakana Village Farmers’ Market is in full swing on Saturdays until 1pm and afterwards there are many charming beaches and wineries nearby. And in the rural south, The Clevedon Village Farmer’s market is a must-do on a Sunday morning.

Garments & galleries.

There’s no better way to finish your trip to Auckland than by picking up a little treat for yourself on the Parnell strip. There’s something for everyone – with countless fashion boutiques, a boutique just for babies, and even a boutique dedicated to chocolate. And if you need a break from all the shopping, take in a bit of culture at one of the many galleries displaying some of New Zealand’s finest art.

If that’s not enough to keep you busy, don’t worry, we’ve only just scraped the surface of what Auckland can put on. Scroll through our Visit Auckland Facebook page to discover more places to go, events to attend and delicious things to eat!

Ka kite.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Auckland wins bid to host major international education conference

International education policy-makers, practitioners and experts from around the world will descend on Auckland in 2021 for the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Annual Conference and Exhibition.

The three-day conference and exhibition will be held at the New Zealand Inte…

Published
29 MAR 2018

International education policy-makers, practitioners and experts from around the world will descend on Auckland in 2021 for the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Annual Conference and Exhibition.

The three-day conference and exhibition will be held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) and is expected to attract more than 1,700 delegates and 200 exhibitors, who will stay a total of  8,700 visitor nights and contribute an estimated spend of $3.3 million while they are here.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development’s Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB) helped secure the winning bid for New Zealand, working in partnership with Education New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand and a consortium of the country’s leading universities, led by Auckland University.

Mayor Phil Goff says, “International education is a valuable contributor to the Auckland economy and the country’s fourth largest export industry.

“It is great news that Auckland will play host to such a major international education conference. It will showcase our region and illustrate the value of this important sector to New Zealand.

“Auckland attracts more than 80,000 international students each year. Beyond the economic value of the sector, these students improve our connections to the world, bring vibrancy and diversity to our city, and fill skills shortages in areas of high demand,” said Mayor Goff.

The APAIE seeks to bring together international educators, universities and related organisations active in Asia-Pacific higher education to promote communication, networking, professional development and learn about new developments in international education.

Head of ACB Anna Hayward says 2021 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Auckland, with a number of major convention wins along with the city hosting the America’s Cup and APEC throughout the course of the year.

“This is a fantastic result for Auckland and New Zealand and is another example of how Auckland is able to compete for events like APAIE at this larger scale with the additional capacity that the NZICC brings,” she says.

“International and domestic business events play an important role in fuelling the value of Auckland, and New Zealand’s visitor economy as well as being valuable contributors to growing the region’s knowledge economy.”

Lisa Gardiner, Manager Business Events and Premium at Tourism New Zealand says: “Conferences such as this one support Tourism New Zealand’s strategy to grow the value of international tourism to New Zealand. The knowledge these delegates will bring to the country has the potential to help grow the country’s international education sector and create more jobs in this area.”

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: #BuildAKL attracts 4,500 young Aucklanders into construction and infrastructure sector

A novel and ambitious social media campaign has attracted 4,500 young Aucklanders into the thriving construction and infrastructure sector where they have started jobs, education and training.

The industry-led #BuildAKL campaign – the first of its kind in New Zealand – aimed to increase the number…

Published
28 MAR 2018

A novel and ambitious social media campaign has attracted 4,500 young Aucklanders into the thriving construction and infrastructure sector where they have started jobs, education and training.

The industry-led #BuildAKL campaign – the first of its kind in New Zealand – aimed to increase the number of young Aucklanders considering or starting careers in the booming, yet ageing, sector.

#BuildAKL, facilitated by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), finished in September last year and offered 16-24 year olds’ the chance to win four weeks paid work experience through a social media competition.

“#BuildAKL worked to lift the lid on the diverse range of job opportunities, including how technology has transformed the sector, by using social media channels popular with under-25-year-olds,” says Pam Ford, ATEED’s acting General Manager Business, Innovation and Skills.

“There’s no better way to connect with young people than to have them share their real-life experiences with each other, becoming advocates for the sector and dispelling outdated perceptions,” she says.

“Hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to the campaign with Māori and Pacific youth, and girls and women well represented in these new industry recruits and students. This outstanding result wouldn’t have been possible without the industry working together collectively,” Pam Ford says.

The wave of young people attracted to the construction and infrastructure sector include 25 year-old Rawiri Norman-Pakinga, aka Ra, from Mt Wellington.

Ra works full time at Citycare as a Structures Serviceperson fixing outdoor equipment in parks and playgrounds. “I have the best office in the world because I’m always working outside, my job is really hands on, and I get to engage with the public,” he says.

Ra, who has family and friends in the industry, is soon to start a carpentry qualification and says there’s plenty of training opportunities. “Since working for Citycare Property I have secured my EWP licence (to operate on Elevated Work Platforms) and am working towards my WTR (Wheels, Tracks and Roller Licence) driving licence endorsement.

“Longer term, I aim to work my way up to becoming a team supervisor,” he says.

The #BuildAKL campaign has not only brought the industry together around the table,but has also had a positive impact on the way young people are recruited.

#BuildAKL partner, Fletcher Building, used learnings from the campaign to help develop its award-winning online job hunting and application platform, SwitchUp, designed to help young people transition from school or unemployment to the work force.

“One of the main appeals of both SwitchUp and the #BuildAKL campaign is the focus on video content to promote opportunities in the sector as opposed to the traditional wordy job descriptions. This allows young people to visualise themselves in roles and can take the fear out of applying for a job,” says Simon Valentine Fletcher Building Group Talent Acquisition Manager.

ATEED is also supporting employers in the construction and infrastructure industry through its partnership with central government agencies, construction sector stakeholders and industry training organisations in the CBD Jobs and Skills Hub.

The Hub, based in the Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct, has placed more than 150 people into employment – largely at city centre construction sites – since it launched a year ago. Almost half of those employed were under 25 years old, and two thirds from Māori and or Pacific Island heritage.

The insights from the #BuildAKL youth recruitment campaign are being shared with construction and infrastructure employers and industry and will guide future industry-led campaign activity. Insights are also being shared with other key industries that need to attract young people – such as tourism and hospitality.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: Prepping for Pasifika Festival

Tips for having your best Pasifika Festival experience

Summary

The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
The festival goes ahead rain or shine
Western Springs Park is well-served by public transport services, close to the Northwestern Cycl…

Published
21 MAR 2018

Tips for having your best Pasifika Festival experience

Summary

• The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
• The festival goes ahead rain or shine
• Western Springs Park is well-served by public transport services, close to the Northwestern Cycleway, and local schools offer paid parking as fundraising activities
• There is also free parking at Unitec and a free shuttle bus between Carrington Rd and the park.
   

The Pasifika Festival takes over Western Springs Park this weekend, the 26th annual showcase and celebration of Auckland’s Pacific Island cultures and communities (9am – 5pm Saturday, 24 March and 10am – 4pm Sunday, 25 March).

The festival goes ahead rain or shine – this is Auckland and the weather is changeable, so bring sunscreen, a hat and a raincoat.

With tens of thousands of people expected to attend the two-day festival, parking restrictions and road closures in place, the surrounding area will be busy and parking will be in high demand so plan ahead for your travel to and from the event.

Western Springs Park is close to the Northwestern Cycleway and is well-served by public transport services, operating on the regular bus and train weekend timetables. Multiple bus routes stop on Great North Rd, next to Western Springs Park, which is also a 30-minute walk from Morningside or Baldwin Ave Station on the Western Train Line. Plan your journey at https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/events/pasifika-2018/.

Pasadena Intermediate School and Western Springs College have paid parking available on their school fields as fundraising activities. Parking is $10 per car, cash only. Mobility parking and drop off is along Motions Rd.

There is also free parking at Unitec and a free shuttle bus between Carrington Rd and the park, at 30-minute intervals.

For newcomers to the festival, Pasifika has 11 distinctly different villages, each with a performance stage and market stalls selling dishes and crafts unique to the village’s culture. The villages represent the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Aotearoa, Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Tonga and Tokelau.

The festival is free to enter, with lots of free activities and live entertainment. There are food, craft and retail stalls where festival-goers can buy authentic food, clothing, traditional arts and crafts, food stuffs, skin care, novelties and souvenirs. Pasifika Festival sponsors offer a range of activities, competitions and giveaways.

Bring some cash – some food stalls have EFTPOS, but many only take cash. There are three ATMs on-site at the park, marked on the festival map, but be patient – there may be queues as they will be in high demand.

To find your way around the festival, there are wayfinding towers and large-scale fixed maps, maps available from volunteers and at the festival’s three information tents, online at www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika or on the Pasifika mobile site. To access the mobile site, text ‘Pasifika’ to 332 to receive a unique link to the 2018 Pasifika Festival mobile site*, powered by Spark, featuring highlights, tips and an interactive festival map (or visit aucklandnz.com/pasifika). * Standard text rates and terms and conditions apply. See https://www.spark.co.nz/privacypolicy for full Ts&Cs.

#VectorLights is supporting the Pasifika Festival, lighting up the Auckland Harbour Bridge with a regular light show from Thursday 22 March – Tuesday 27 March. The show will run every 30 minutes from 8pm. Vector Lights is part of a smart energy partnership between Vector and Auckland Council in collaboration with the NZ Transport Agency, the guiding light toward a smart energy future.

The Pasifika Festival is organised by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with the Pasifika Village Coordinators, who represent the different communities and guide the cultural integrity of the festival.

Pasifika is sponsored and supported by AMI, Vector Lights, Western Union, Mai FM, Spark, New Zealand Post, Air New Zealand, Edgewater Resort, Resene, Pacific Media Network, University of Otago, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Health, Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Department of Internal Affairs, Te Wananga o Aoteoroa, BCITO.

Source: Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED)

Headline: 26th Pasifika Festival coming soon

Summary

The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
Hundreds of local and international performers, artists and artisans take part
Artists travelling from the Pacific Islands include hula groups from Hawaii, the Suluape tattooists from Samoa,…

Published
14 MAR 2018

Summary

• The 26th Pasifika Festival takes place at Western Spring Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March
• Hundreds of local and international performers, artists and artisans take part
• Artists travelling from the Pacific Islands include hula groups from Hawaii, the Suluape tattooists from Samoa, the 32-member La Orana Troupe Tahiti from Papara, and the Heimana Hula Band from Rarotonga 
• Get an insight into the practices of traditional pit oven cooking (hangi, umu or lovo), tattooing, weaving, carving and more. 

Auckland’s world-renowned celebration and showcase of its Pacific Island communities and whanau will rock Western Springs Park on Saturday, 24 and Sunday, 25 March with the 26th Pasifika Festival

Tens of thousands of Aucklanders and visitors are expected to attend the two-day festival, which features hundreds of local and international performers, artists and artisans. 

For newcomers to the festival, Pasifika has 11 distinctly different villages, each with a performance stage and market stalls selling signature dishes and crafts unique to the village’s culture. The villages represent the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Aotearoa, Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Tonga and Tokelau. 

The festival is free to enter, with lots of free activities and live entertainment. There are food, craft and retail stalls where festival-goers can buy authentic food, clothing, traditional arts and crafts, food stuffs, skin care, novelties and souvenirs from the festival.

Pasifika offers the chance to revel in the sights, sounds and flavours of the South Pacific, and to get an insight into traditional practices across various cultures.

Earth oven cooking is widespread around the Pacific, and this year people can learn more about the techniques and their variations in different cultures. Many of the Pasifika villages are offering hosted earth ovens – hosts will explain to visitors the traditions and techniques behind hāngi, umu or lovo (depending on the culture) when the food is unearthed and made available for sale. 

In the Samoan village, the internationally renowned Suluape tattooists will be using traditional techniques to mark pre-selected people with pe’a or malu (male or female tattoos), culminating in the sacred samaga pe’a ceremony, which marks the completion of a tattoo, lifting taboos, blessing the recipients and acknowledging the tattooist, in a rare opportunity for non-Samoans to see. 

Festival goers can also see tattooists at work in the Aotearoa and Fiji villages. 

Other glimpses into traditional practices include a narrated re-enactment a traditional Tuvaluan marriage, from the potu lama community proposal through to the wedding ceremony; ages-old Māori and Hawaiian healing practices; mini workshops about Cook Island textile art and weaving techniques; traditional kava or ‘ava ceremonies; and Tokelauan carvers creating fishing lures from shells, still in common use today and highly sought after by keen fishers. 

A snapshot of the Pacific’s contemporary marketplace is in the spotlight at Pasifika this year, with the Pasifika Business Market. The market features more than 40 island-based companies that are part of Pacific Trade & Invest’s Path To Market programme, developing and testing their products for the New Zealand market. 

The companies will showcase their wares, including food (and coffee), clothing and accessories, handicrafts and skincare. Sample Tongan frozen seaweed, coffee from Vanuatu, organic skincare from Samoa and the Cook Islands and lots more.

The Pasifika Festival is organised by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with the Pasifika Festival Village Coordinators, who represent the different communities and guide the cultural integrity of the festival.

Next door to Pasifika, the Museums of Auckland, including the Auckland Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, MOTAT and Maritime Museum, are celebrating Pacific culture, rhythms and flavours with Pasifika Vibes @ MOTAT, a free event running alongside the festival. People can chill out with great music, live entertainment, and food including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Like Pasifika Festival, this is a smoke and alcohol-free event. Please note: Only the event village will be open to the public. The MOTAT exhibition halls and rest of the Museum will not be open over these days. For more information visit www.motat.org.nz

For more information, see www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika. Closer to the date, festival goers can text ‘Pasifika’ to 332 to receive a unique link to the 2018 Pasifika Festival mobile site*, powered by Spark, featuring highlights, tips and an interactive festival map (or visit aucklandnz.com/pasifika). 
* Standard text rates and terms and conditions apply. See https://www.spark.co.nz/privacypolicy for full Ts&Cs.

Pasifika is sponsored and supported by AMI, Vector Lights, Western Union, Mai FM, Spark, New Zealand Post, Air New Zealand, Edgewater Resort, Resene, Pacific Media Network, University of Otago, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Pacific Peoples, Department of Internal Affairs, Te Wananga o Aoteoroa, BCITO.