Dreaming of a white Christmas CubaDupa hopes for super return

Hoping for a case of third time lucky, the quintessential Wellington carnival CubaDupa plans to return to the streets next year.

Coronavirus restrictions on gatherings meant this year’s event was cancelled, after last year’s event was moved indoors following the Christchurch terror attack.

Now the organisers have confirmed a full street festival on the weekend of March 27-28 next year, with its most ambitious and diverse programme yet.

The event will offer more than 19 hours of entertainment across 20 stages and creative zones, delivering 470 performances and 20 parades by more than 1700 artists from all over Aotearoa.

Musicians, sound experiences and immersive electronic wizardry will be a cornerstone of the festival with its most ambitious project ever, Cubasonic.

The mass musical experience, conceived by leading New Zealand composer John Psathas, will havemore than 300 musicians lining the streets, with 12 conductors above the crowd and a custom-made overhead sound system.

Psathas will be joined by ensembles including Orchestra Wellington, the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, The Nudge, Boat, and nearly 100 Batucada drummers. Around 100,000 people are expected to visit the festival over two days.

Festival director Gerry Paul said after a tough year, CubaDupa 2021 would be just the tonic Wellington needed.

Music was the ‘‘beating heart’’ of CubaDupa, with a diverse free live music programme showcasing almost every genre and artists from all over Aotearoa. Artists include award winner Troy Kingi, the Richter City Rebels allstar 10-piece, Christchurch’s There’s a Tuesday, and Wellington’s Hans Pucket.

A new stage, the RadioActive Upper Cuba SoundSphere, will make its debut.

MONIQUE FORD/STUFF A delighted Niamae van Deventer, 6, revelled in foam ‘‘snow’’ at the capital’s Very Welly Christmas parade event yesterday. The free event drew hundreds of families to Wellington’s Lambton Quay over two days, with live music, dancers, and activities to entertain the little ones, plus the promise of seeing the big jolly man in red before he returns to the North Pole to get ready for Christmas.