Womad Fest Celebrates NZ Tourism Nomination

Womad Festival Celebrates New Zealand Tourism Awards Nomination

WOMAD New Zealand organisers are thrilled at the announcement that the event has reached the finals of the 2005 New Zealand Tourism Awards in the category ‘Innovation in Events’.

The announcement was made yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (TRENZ) event at Christchurch’s Westpac Centre.

Event director Roger King said: “To reach the finals is really fantastic. WOMAD is a unique event in New Zealand, with extremely high production values, and a following that is growing rapidly across the globe.”

The 2005 event welcomed more than 30,000 visitors to Taranaki over three days in March. International visitors were from as far a field as Alaska, and 400 artists were on-site from 21 different countries.

“We turned Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl into a cultural melting pot. The atmosphere was amazing,” Roger said.

The event featured musical styles from folk to hip hop, classical to reggae beats, gospel to ska and everything in between, plus dance and visual arts.

Highlights included rousing performances by Richie Havens, who was joined by legendary folk artist Taj Mahal; and funky American Latino band Ozomatli who were also joined on stage by Senegalese hip hoppers Daara J and Australia’s Xavier Rudd.

The winners of the New Zealand Tourism Awards are announced in September.

The next WOMAD festival is from 16-18 March 2007. More information can be found at www.womad.co.nz and WOMAD is represented on the New Plymouth District Council stand at TRENZ. WOMAD New Zealand is organised by the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, also organisers of the long-standing Taranaki Festival of the Arts, which this year takes place from 27 July to 14 August.

WOMAD NEW ZEALAND 2005 WAS SUPPORTED & FUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS:

Core Funders: New Plymouth District Council; The TSB Community Trust

Event Partners: Shell NZ Ltd; Todd Energy

Programme Partners: The Radio Network; Tui Ora

Event Sponsors: Boon Goldsmith Bhaskar Team Architecture; Kawaroa Consultancy Ltd; Robert Angus Real Estate

Event Supporter: Creative New Zealand

ENDS

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