Auckland – More than eight hundred performers and fifty food and craft stalls will transform Aotea Square and part of Queen Street into an Indian Mela (bazaar) on Saturday, 11 and Sunday, 12 October for the 13th annual Auckland Diwali Festival. Diwali – the festival of lights – is an important and ancient Indian festival signifying the triumph of light over darkness and the renewal of life. Visitors to this weekend’s festival will experience a slice of traditional and contemporary Indian culture, with an extraordinary array….. of music, dance, sport, fashion, food and fireworks, plus a wedding expo and the show stopping Radio Tarana Bollywood dance competition.
Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse says the event is an opportunity for Auckland to acknowledge the contribution that the Indian community makes to the region. “More than 100,000 people of Indian heritage call Auckland home and contribute significantly to our great city socially, culturally and economically, and play an important part in our multi-cultural society. “I want to wish everyone a happy Diwali and a year ahead filled with prosperity, health and happiness,” says Deputy Mayor Hulse. The festival runs from midday-9 pm this weekend (Saturday, 11 and Sunday, 12 October) and is organised by Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) in partnership with Asia New Zealand Foundation.
Renowned international performers the Sattriya Dance Theatre Group will light up the stage at Aotea Square as part of the official opening celebrations on Saturday afternoon. The ceremony will feature the Prime Minister and leader of the National Party, Rt. Hon. John Key, Acting Leader of the Opposition Labour party, Hon. David Parker, ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador, Sir Richard Hadlee, and Deputy Mayor of Auckland, Penny Hulse.
Festival-goers will also have the chance to be part of an iconic Indian cricketing moment at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 photo booth, and enjoy the spectacular Diwali Finale Fireworks display presented by Barfoot & Thompson at 9pm on Sunday night. The sponsors and supporters of Auckland Diwali Festival are Air New Zealand, Barfoot & Thompson, Fairfax Media, iHeartRadio, Indian Weekender, India Tourism Sydney, Mithai, Radio Tarana, AIA New Zealand, Love NZ, Ntec Tertiary Group, Western Union, and The Better Drinks Company.
For more information about Auckland Diwali Festival go to aucklandnz.com/diwali or visit the What’s on in Auckland Facebook page for the latest news and competitions.
