On Sunday, 3 November, from 11am to 4pm, thousands of young people and adults will be at Linwood Park to celebrate youth pride, diversity and achievement in a uniquely Linwoodfocused way. The Hagley Ferrymead Community Board provides core funding for the festival.

Expect to see many talented young people who will be “owning the day” by being totally involved – from playing in bands, breakdancing, painting the mural, to running stalls, workshops, and interacting with the community. It is a youth festival run by youth for youth.

Young people drive each year’s LYFE, facing the challenges of securing sponsorship, deciding on promotion and advertising, approaching performing groups and stall holders and all the other challenges of running a public festival.

Among the bands expected to perform this year are Que (formerly Unique), Pacific Underground, 4 Man Bob and Phoenix Rising.

And for those after fun and spills, there will be breakdancing and skateboarding competitions, sumo suits, water slide, horizontal bungy, parachute and bouncy castle, a puppet show, prussiking and much more.

Originally called Extravaganza, the festival was set up in 1998 by the Linwood Liaison Group to raise the level of awareness of the community about how talented our young people really are and to show off their positive attributes.

New LYFE Event Co-ordinator Isabelle Boigelot says, “its extremely inspiring to be working with these young people and to be achieving so much”.

• To volunteer and get involved, or for more information, call Isabelle Boigelot on 326 7414 or 021 311 646 or email her at i.b.events@clear.net.nz