New facets are coming to Aucklanders’ favourite cultural event, the Auckland Lantern Festival, to expand the menu, improve crowd flow, and showcase New Zealand/Chinese trade and investment.
- Auckland’s biggest cultural festival expands to include Auckland’s newest food experience and a New Zealand-Chinese business forum.
- 2017 Auckland Lantern Festival is in Auckland Domain, Thursday, 9 – Sunday, 12 February.
- On the festival’s opening day, the inaugural ASB Lantern Forum will focus on trade and investment between China and New Zealand.
- Festival goers can sample the tastes of the Night Noodle Markets at a new public space in Auckland Domain.
- The layout of the 2017 festival is evolving to ensure better crowd movement and flow, and a better experience for festival goers, which numbered more than 200,000 last year.
- The festival will still present the best of traditional and contemporary Chinese culture, including lanterns, live music and dance, martial arts, arts and crafts, food and fireworks.
The 2017 Auckland Lantern Festival, at Auckland Domain from Thursday, 9 – Sunday, 12 February 2017, is Auckland’s and New Zealand’s biggest Chinese cultural festival, attracting more than 200,000 attendees in 2016.
Now in its 18th year, the festival celebrates the best of traditional and contemporary Chinese culture, including lanterns, live music and dance, martial arts, arts and crafts, food and fireworks.
Festival-goers will have even more food choices in 2017, with the Night Noodle Markets coming to a new public space in the Auckland Domain, Kari St Commons, linked to the festival via the lantern-lit Centennial Walkway.
The Night Noodle Markets are famous for their great range of authentic Asian cuisine, as well as the hawker-style atmosphere akin to the back streets of Singapore and Hong Kong. Offering a refined range of dishes from over 15 food vendors, there is also entertainment for festival-goers to enjoy.
Further enhancements have been made to the Auckland Lantern Festival to improve crowd movement and flow, and to provide a better overall experience for festival goers. This includes the introduction of smaller and more intimate performance spaces, additional space around craft stalls, and an improved martial arts and games demonstration area where ‘have-a-go’ workshops will be held.
“The 2017 layout will mean the crowds will have more space to spread out, and there will be better movement and flow throughout the festival,” says, ATEED Head of Major Events, Charmaine Ngarimu.
“We encourage people to plan their travel to the festival ahead of time, and take advantage of the Auckland Domain being close to Grafton Station, the cycleways and well-serviced by buses.”
Auckland Council Environment and Community Committee Chair, Councillor Penny Hulse, says events like the Auckland Lantern Festival help to deliver social and economic benefits for the region, and also enrich Auckland’s cultural vibrancy now and for future generations.
“It is great to see the Auckland Lantern Festival continue to evolve and improve the experience for the thousands of Aucklanders and visitors who go each year, celebrating our diversity and being part of what makes this an exciting city to live and visit,” says Councillor Penny Hulse.
The Auckland Lantern Festival is delivered by ATEED, on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
Asia New Zealand Foundation executive director Simon Draper says: “The Asia New Zealand Foundation’s job is to help New Zealanders gain a better understanding of Asia and its diverse cultures. We’ve been involved in this festival since 2000 as it allows Aucklanders to have authentic contemporary and traditional Chinese cultural experiences within their own city.
“Over the years we’ve been delighted to see the growth in festival’s activities, including this year’s inaugural business forum, as ways of showcasing the many dimensions of the New Zealand-China relationship.”
ATEED and Asia New Zealand Foundation acknowledge the sponsors and supporters of the 2017 Auckland Lantern Festival: Principal Sponsor ASB, Chinese Ministry of Culture, Lotto New Zealand, Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Air New Zealand, Barfoot & Thompson, COSCO (New Zealand) Ltd, China Travel Service (N.Z), The Hits, Chinese Herald, Stuff, The Better Drinks Company, Emerald Foods, SKYCITY, Fotile, Quitline and Auckland Transport.
Notes
- The 2017 Auckland Lantern Festival and Night Noodle Markets run 4pm – 10.30pm, Thursday, 9 to Sunday, 12 February.
- Thursday evening is the Lantern Appreciation Evening and opening ceremony, when the lanterns are lit for viewing but there are no performances or stalls operating, except for the Night Noodle Markets at Kari Street Commons.
- Kari Street Commons is an area is due to be integrated back into the Auckland Domain later in 2017, for recreational and event use. This is temporary opportunity to access part of the park that has been inaccessible for many years, before its permanent reintegration.
- Auckland Domain is a short walk from the city centre, via Albert Park and the University of Auckland and down Grafton Road, to the Centennial Walkway. From there, head up the hill for the Auckland Lantern Festival or along Cherry Tree Lane for Night Noodle Markets.
- It is also close to Grafton Station for people travelling by train and the Lightpath/Te Ara i Whiti and Beach Rd Cycleway for people cycling.
- The ASB Lantern Forum takes place at the Auckland Museum, which is also running a Chinese New Year activity programme over the weekend of the Auckland Lantern Festival and opening its Being Chinese in Aotearoa photographic exhibition.
- This business forum will capitalise on the profile of the Auckland Lantern Festival and is expected to attract around 200 delegates, politicians and business people.