Creekfest will be better than ever
Creekfest is in safe hands and has a bright future, its organiser says.
In 2013, the event, held in March at Cannons Creek Park, was nearly cancelled after serious funding shortfalls.
It costs more than $100,000 to hold the festival, which celebrates culture, music, sport and food and shows off community and health services in the city.
Event manager Liz Kelly said it was not a good time for Creekfest. ‘‘But we’ve moved on and we have a template which works well and we’re all go. There is a lot of certainty around what we’re doing now,’’ she said.
Kelly is chief executive of Porirua Whanau Centre, which underwrites Creekfest.
Money to hold Creekfest comes purely from grants and she said Mana Community Grants, Porirua City Council, Capital & Coast District Health Board and Regional Public Health had been generous.
Kelly said that though thousands of people would undoubtedly come along on the day, organisers had marketed Creekfest even wider this year.
Public buses around the region will have the colourful Creekfest logo and other marketing will also be carried out.
‘‘We definitely want to get a wider appeal and show off the diversity that Porirua has,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s a real day of celebration and the more people we get coming along from outside Porirua, the better.’’
Recognition that Porirua is 50 years old would be included in the day’s events, she said.
More than 140 stalls will be confirmed. There will be CrossFit, football, touch rugby, basketball and ki o rahi. And the community stage will feature local talent throughout the day.
The free rides and bucking bronco are bound to be popular.
Kelly said the bus for older people and families would operate around the park and there would be eftpos available this year.