Auckland Pride Festival Trust

Media Release

Tuesday 17 September 2013

ATEED Major Events sponsorship enables return of Auckland Pride Festival and Parade in 2014

The Auckland Pride Festival and Parade will be back for a second year in 2014!

The Festival Trust is delighted to announce that it will receive Major Events sponsorship from the Council controlled organisation, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), allowing it to stage the Festival and Parade again next year.

Auckland Pride Festival Trust co-chairs, Megan Cunningham-Adams and David Coltman, say they are absolutely thrilled to have received this vital endorsement and important financial support for next year’s programme of events.

“The ongoing recognition and support from ATEED provides us with the financial stability and confidence to go out, step it up, and put on an even bigger and better festival for our communities and supporters from around New Zealand and the world,” says Cunningham-Adams.

ATEED’s sponsorship of the Auckland Pride Festival aligns with Auckland’s Major Events Strategy, delivering both social and economic benefits to the city.

ATEED General Manager Destination & Marketing Rachael Carroll says the Auckland Pride Festival is a wonderful component of Auckland’s Major Events portfolio. “We’re a city that celebrates diversity – the rainbow community brings so much vibrancy to our region, and helps contribute to our vision of making Auckland the world’s most liveable city,” she says.

“But Pride isn’t just a great community event and celebration, the Festival is expected to contribute an additional 4,000 visitor nights and $500,000 to Auckland’s GDP.”

The Auckland Pride Festival was one of 36 successful applicants in ATEED’s 2013/14 major events sponsorship round, with a contribution of $100,000.

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Auckland Pride Festival and Parade 2014 Dates

The Auckland Pride Festival Trust can now announce the dates for next year’s Auckland Pride Festival and Parade 2014.

New Zealand’s biggest and best programme of events for and by the Rainbow Community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Takatãpui, Intersex and Fa’afafine), the Auckland Pride Festival 2014 will run for two weeks and three weekends, commencing on Friday 7 February and concluding on Sunday 23 February.

Now established as a landmark Auckland event, the fabulous Auckland Pride Parade will return to Ponsonby Road on Saturday 22 February.

“Ponsonby Road is very excited to be hosting the Parade again and the Ponsonby Business Association are looking forward to being involved with this amazing event,” says Vivenne Rosenberg, Ponsonby Business Association General Manager.

The Auckland Pride Festival 2014 also features the highly popular LYC Big Gay Out to be held at Coyle Park in Point Chevalier on Sunday 9 February, as well as the internationally renowned Bear New Zealand Week, running from Sunday 9 to Sunday 16 February in 2014.

The Auckland Pride Festival Trust will be working with Auckland’s Rainbow Community, key stakeholders, sponsors and supporters to ensure that the Auckland Pride Festival and Parade builds on last year’s success to become a must-attend, destination event for local communities and visitors from around New Zealand and the world.

Auckland Pride Festival and Parade Appointments

The Auckland Pride Festival Trust is delighted to announce its two major appointments for the 2014 Festival and Parade. Julian Cook will return to the role of Festival Director and Richard Taki has been appointed as the new Parade Director.

After his success in delivering the inaugural 2013 Festival, the Trust is excited to be working with Julian again, as he develops the quality, diversity and community values of the Auckland Pride Festival’s fulsome programme of events.

Julian is a widely respected event manager and marketeer who has worked on many festivals and major events within Auckland. Outside of his event work, he is a public relations writer for a range of commercial, arts, media and charitable organisations.

The Auckland Pride Festival Trust welcomes Richard Taki as the new Parade Director for 2014. Richard brings vast knowledge and experience in the arts, production and event management to the delivery of the Auckland Pride Parade.

Born and raised of Tūhoe/Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Te Rangi descent, Richard has worked for Unitec’s Department of Performing and Screen Arts, NIDA (Sydney) and VCA (Melbourne), three of the leading arts training institutions in Australasia. Richard also worked with the former Auckland City Council on a number of major events and festivals, including the America’s Cup, Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, Grey Lynn Festival and New Year’s Eve Celebrations.
Richard is well known as his drag alter ego, Bumpa Love, who was a resident performer at the former Ponsonby Road hotspot Surrender Dorothy for six years. Now based in Melbourne, Bumpa has hosted and produced events at popular gay venue, Sircuit, for the past four years. Richard is also an avid rugby supporter, and is currently Vice President of gay rugby team, the Melbourne Chargers.

“After working in the LGBTIQ community, corporate, private, government and self-employed worlds for over twenty years, I am looking forward to sharing my experience and expertise in the planning and delivery of the Auckland Pride Parade 2014. I am very excited about this new era in the rainbow landscape of Aotearoa and Tāmaki Makaurau”, says Taki.

Auckland Pride Festival Contacts

To get involved in the Auckland Pride Festival 2014, please contact Festival Director, Julian Cook: festival@aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

To participate in the Auckland Pride Parade 2014, please contact Parade Director, Richard Taki: parade@aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

Keep watching the Auckland Pride Festival website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news and updates as the Auckland Pride Festival 2014 starts taking shape!

Website: www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AkldPrideFest

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AkldPrideFest

ENDS

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