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7 September 2001 |
Huge School Cultural Festival Coming
More than 1600 children from Canterbury will take part in the Christchurch Primary Schools’ Cultural Festival 2001 in the Christchurch Town Hall from 17 - 20 September.
More than 17,000 children have taken part in the event to date. Last year, around 3500 people attended the festival.
Event Manager Ali Nauman says “this children’s showcase event is growing both in size and significance, with a record number of groups and cultures choosing to participate in this year’s festival.” The festival is a unique opportunity to experience an authentic, vibrant celebration of Aotearoa’s many different cultures, she says. The festival boasts a selection of multicultural performances, visual art exhibition and celebrity MCs, including TVNZ’s Stacey Daniels and Kimo Winiata and Tahu FM’s ‘Aubz’ and Lisa Reedy. Local icon Te Huaki Puanaki has recently joined this star-studded line-up. More than 40 groups will perform during the festival, including children from 33 primary and intermediate schools in Canterbury. A number of guest high school and children’s performance groups will also take part. Participants represent more 10 different nationalities, including Maori, Tongan, Irish, Samoan, Cook Island, Scottish, Philippine, Pakeha, Somali, Netherlands and Asian cultures. A number of disabled children from Addington School’s Conductive Education Unit will also perform.
This year’s festival has attracted a number of sponsors, including media partners Canterbury Community Newspapers and Radio Tahu FM. The Christchurch City Council, The Community Trust, Creative Communities NZ and The Lion Foundation have also supported the festival, as well as product sponsors such as Fern Factor and Trees for Canterbury. Concerts will stage from 7-9.15pm daily with a matinee on Thursday 20th from 1-3pm. Tickets are available from Town Hall Ticketek. Group and senior citizen concessions apply. Photo opportunity Further Information: For pre-event coverage, photo opportunities or media passes, contact: Ali Nauman, Event Manager. Cellphone 021-1330-768, Fax 03 337 3809, Email creative.events@clear.net.nz
Footsteps, Breens Intermediate Performing Arts Group, will stage a live public rehearsal in Cathedral Square (outside the ANZ Bank) at 12.50pm on Thursday 13 September. This spectacular features life-size birds and fauna of the forest as the children unravel a legend of The Descendants of Tane, in which they journey into and awaken the “colours of the forest”.