Porirua alive with the sound of music
The multicultural makeup of Porirua is helping turn it into an event destination, according to the city’s mayor, with the likes of Sol3 Mio including it in a tour along with Hawaii and San Francisco.
The next fortnight will be a powerhouse of entertainment for the city, as it continues to attract top local and international talent.
First up is Creekfest 2018 featuring Stan Walker on Saturday, then Pasifika Porirua followed by Symphony in the Park featuring Sol3 Mio on March 3.
The city only just finished hosting one of the country’s biggest Waitangi Day celebrations, which was themed around waka ama and staged on the Porirua Harbour waterfront.
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana says while Waitangi Day and Creekfest are free wha¯ nau-friendly events, with Sol3 Mio ‘‘we’ve secured topclass entertainment at an affordable price and we’re attracting an audience from across the country’’.
‘‘These events allow residents and visitors to enjoy our beautiful city and have tangible benefits for our economy.’’
Along with much support from various community groups, the Porirua City Council grants, awards and events subcommittee agreed, last year, to provide $55,000 to create a Waitangi Day event to replace the popular Festival of the Elements; $20,000 to draw the likes of Sol3 Mio to Symphony in the Park; and another $20,000 to run the annual Creekfest.
Creekfest was started in 2004 in a Cannons Creek carpark to raise awareness of the services available in the region to achieve better health and wellbeing outcomes.
Staged entertainment, including local and national artists, sporting events, crafts and community food stalls are drawcards to attract attendees.
This year, it will feature Stan Walker - who used to live in Porirua. He won Australian Idol in 2009 and has gone on to be one of New Zealand’s most popular artists - selling more than 100,000 albums with five platinum singles.
A week later, Pasifika Porirua will kick off at Te-Awaruao-Porirua Harbour with Pasifika-flavoured fun, music and food. It will be the last stop in the Waka Odyssey tour of the region.
Later that day, move on to Trust Porirua Park for a picnic tea and enjoy Symphony in the Park featuring Sol3Mio.
They’ll be supported by the full Orchestra Wellington and Porirua youth orchestra Virtuoso Strings.