Slipping back in time a global hit
It was once described to me as like a slice of that grand old story Brigadoon — the small town in Scotland which would shift back in time for a day or so every century.
For a short period of time it all slipped back into history and it made an intriguing film.
The heart of Napier slips back in time every year for a day or two and it’s called the Art Deco Festival.
Stylish old fashions and equally stylish old motor vehicles fill the streets . . . while fine old aircraft fill the skies.
If you happened to enter the heart of it all and were wearing the garb of today you would feel very out of place. The festival has morphed from a colourful weekend a couple of decades ago into a giant. And a very fashionable and joyful one.
This year’s event has gathered accolades, and with the way it is constantly evolving we will see a royal presence some time.
I was talking to a chap (one has to use “chap” about Art Deco) who said the one startling thing stronger by the year was how children and young people were becoming enthusiastically involved.
Schools have a Deco dress day and the children are told how it was sparked — from a terrible earthquake to a wonderful rebuild.
People like to dress up, and kids love it. Ditto for their parents and grandparents.
The festival has grown and is effectively global.
More photos get taken over the two main days of the event than any other time of the year. Which means they’re on social media sites.
“We gotta go take a look at this,” is likely the response from many. And they do.
A few years back I spoke to one of the Dilmah tea lads who came from Sri Lanka, and he was stunned.
Stunned at how everything seemed to blend seamlessly together and stunned by the whole genteel and yet vibrant ambience.
He was captivated by the soap box derby and while that was happening he pointed out “those wonderful aircraft” overhead and was captivated by the sound of a steam engine chuffing merrily along.
He was no stranger to travel or attending all sorts of events, but this Art Deco-inspired festival topped the charts for him.
I daresay it also topped the charts for the estimated 50,000 people who had a taste of this year’s event.
So on Monday morning Brigadoon had returned to 2019 but what ho . . .
The jolly old countdown to 2020 has begun.