NEWS RELEASE 26 October 2007

Booming Newtown Festival seeks backer

The Newtown Festival - now one of the major focal points of Wellington's summer events calendar - is on the hunt for corporate sponsorship to help fund the steady expansion of its Newtown Fair Day.

The Newtown Fair Day, scheduled for Sunday 2 March 2008, will be bigger and better than ever, says Coordinator Peter Frater.

However the fact the Newtown Fair Day is growing in size and stature means it needs an injection of funds to cope with the growth.

Peter says the organising committee is therefore eager to talk with local or national organisations that might be interested in benefiting from a sponsorship association with the Fair Day.

"We get great financial support from the City Council and local businesses - but if an organisation wants its name and brand to be linked with the event then we'd love to hear from them."

Peter says discussions are under way with the Council, the Regional Council and bus operator Go Wellington with the intention of diverting the Island Bay bus service away from Rintoul Street for the day - thus freeing up more space in Riddiford Street for the fair.

Earlier this year an estimated 50,000 people - Newtown locals and visitors from around the region - descended on Riddiford Street and the neighbourhood to enjoy the Fair Day.

"Newtown is really Wellington's multicultural melting pot - and the Fair reflects that in a big way," says Peter. "People like the heady mix of entertainment, crafts and food from a range of continents as well as from the Pacific and Aotearoa."

The Fair also has a reputation as an 'incubator' for some of Wellington's top musical acts. "Everyone from Fat Freddy's Drop and Hollie Smith to Warren Maxwell's Little Bushman have graced the stages at the fair day over the years and then gone on to greater fame and fortune," says Peter. "We're already signing the acts for next March - so people can be confident the entertainment will be as cutting-edge and excellent as ever."

ENDS

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