Time to buy tickets For Nelson Arts Festival
Ticket sales are booming for this year’s Nelson Arts Festival and locals are urged to get in early. Nelson City Council
Festival Director Sophie Kelly says sales are tracking well ahead of previous years with some clear favourites already
emerging.
“We’re picking the Loons new cabaret show Berlin Burlesque at the Theatre Royal to be our first sell out, and there
will be more,” she said. “With the Masters Games in town plus the rugby visitors we really want to encourage Nelsonians
to get tickets while they can.”
This Sunday (September 4) is the last day for the Early Bird discount on festival tickets. Sophie says this is a saving
of around $4 per seat, which mounts up for groups or people buying tickets for several shows. Sophie recommends becoming
a Festival Friend as another excellent way to save on tickets.
She says this year’s festival programme delivers a feast of theatre and music from New Zealand and afar. “The message
we have for Nelson people is that this is their festival, it’s a time to say goodbye to winter, to get out and try
something new and to be really proud of living in a vibrant arty city,” she says.
“If you haven’t ever taken the plunge and gone along to a festival show, make this the year you do.”
And Sophie encourages ticket buyers to take a risk or two: “Rather than going for the safe and familiar, festival time
is an opportunity to stretch your boundaries and try something like Random Acts of God – inspired by the Christchurch
earthquakes, a six piece band and a troupe of four dancers explore the question of what we do when life throws a curve
ball.”
The arts festival begins on October 7 with the Masked Parade and continues for 17 days of music and theatre at the
Suter, the Theatre Royal, the Festival Tent at Founders and the Granary Festival Café where early evening music shows
are free.
The Nelson Arts Festival is produced by the Nelson City Council as a celebration for locals and an attraction for
visitors. This year’s event is part of the Game On Festival, which showcases the region to our rugby visitors.
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