NEWS RELEASE
15 September 2005
Double street parade fun next Friday!
Wellingtonians will have double the fun next Friday 23 September with two exciting street parades through the city – one
welcoming 250 international athletes and the other celebrating the opening of the Montana World of WearableArt™ Awards
Show.
“It’s going to be an amazing spectacle – only in Wellington can we have two parades to celebrate two world-class events
in one day. This well and truly cements our status as the Events Capital of New Zealand,” says Mayor Kerry Prendergast.
World Mountain Running Championship athletes from 29 countries have already started arriving in the city, but the public
kick-off to the event is the procession through the city streets at midday. The massive group of mountain runners will
be led from Midland Park to Civic Square by the RNZAF Band. They will be welcomed by mana whenua and Mayor Prendergast
in a formal welcome in Civic Square.
Meanwhile, the artistic and colourful street parade to celebrate Montana WOW® Awards Show will be gathering at
Parliament ready for a wacky and outrageous procession through the central city.
Themed Excessive Accessories, this parade will showcase more than 50 works from community designers, Vincents Art
Workshop, the Learning Connexion and Whitireia Design School.
“Some of these artists have taken the theme to an amazing level – there’s an incredible pair of crocodile shoes 1.5
metres long, giant Dame Edna glasses, a human-sized cell phone, ridiculously large hats – and a three metre square
inflatable handbag on wheels!” says Council Parade Co-ordinator Jessica Garland.
The parade, starting at 12.45pm, is one of the key ways the Council is welcoming the Montana WOW® Awards to town. It
will include some props and supporting costumes from the WOW® art department plus a host of way-out stilt walkers,
performers and musicians.
The entire parade will then enter Civic Square where Mayor Prendergast and World of WearableArt™ representatives will
congratulate participants and present prizes to some of the creators of the Excessive Accessories.
World Mountain Running Champs Parade Midland Park to Civic Square 11.55am start
Excessive Accessories Street Parade Parliament to Civic Square 12.45pm start
ENDS