Festival planning started
Make a note in your 2014 diary – the Auckland Lantern Festival from February 13 to 16 is shaping up to be the biggest and brightest yet.
The annual event is proudly supported by Fairfax Media and Suburban Newspapers, publishers of the Central Leader, and will start with a ‘lantern-only’ night at Albert Park on February 13.
It will continue over the next two days with on stage performances, traditional festivities and feasting.
A full programme of entertainment will also take place at Queens Wharf.
The event will include a massive fireworks finale on Sunday night from the Sky Tower.
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) general manager destination and marketing Rachael Carroll says the festival is one of the biggest and most popular cultural extravaganzas in the region and celebrates its vibrant ethnic diversity.
‘‘By expanding the festival programme to two stunning locations we can showcase the many sides of this diverse culture – from contemporary Chinese movies to traditional drumming and from the high energy of the lion dance to the tranquillity of the tea ceremony.’’
The festival is celebrated on the first full moon after the Chinese New Year. The 2014 event will welcome in the Chinese zodiac Year of the Horse.
It is organised by ATEED in partnership with Asia New Zealand Foundation. Go to aucklandnz.com/lan tern for more information.