Sand and sea at Auckland Lantern Festival on the waterfront

30 January 2014

Sand and sea at Auckland Lantern Festival on the waterfront

Aucklanders can enjoy a very different Auckland Lantern Festival experience at Queens Wharf this year with a relaxed, family-friendly urban picnic on the waterfront.

The festival is held from 14 to 16 February at Albert Park and Queens Wharf on the first full moon following Chinese New Year. Queens Wharf will host outdoor movies, afternoon kids’ activities and a live sand painting performance group from Hong Kong.

ATEED General Manager Destination & Marketing Rachael Carroll says the annual Auckland Lantern Festival at Albert Park is one of the busiest and most popular cultural festivals in Auckland.

“The programme at Queens Wharf will provide Aucklanders with a more laid-back environment to celebrate Chinese New Year and allow us to showcase a more contemporary side of Chinese culture,” says Mrs Carroll.

“In contrast to the bustling stalls and late night main stage performances at Albert Park, Queens Wharf will start with activities from 2pm and feature an interesting collection of films in the evening.”

Highlights include “Jockey of Sand” by the All Theatre Art Association, who will travel to Auckland from Hong Kong especially for the festival. Through the art of sand painting and singing they will commemorate the Year of the Horse with a live multimedia performance every evening from 7.15pm to 7.25pm.

There will be plenty for kids to enjoy with lantern making, face painting, temporary tattoos and puppet shows, plus family favourite movies Mulan and Karate Kid.

Other highlights on the big screen include a selection of short films presented by “Show Me Shorts” – New Zealand's only Academy Awards® accredited film festival – plus Flat 3, a made-for-the-web comedy series about three Chinese Kiwi flatmates in Auckland.

Utilising Queens Wharf for the Auckland Lantern Festival builds on its success as a new public event space for Aucklanders to enjoy and is another step in its evolution from a working wharf to a public one.

Auckland Lantern Festival is organised by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) in partnership with Asia New Zealand Foundation with the support of principal sponsor ASB.

Jockey of Sand will be brought to the festival by HKETO (Hong Kong Economic and Trade office). ATEED acknowledges the support of other sponsors and supporters including Lotto New Zealand, Tip Top, Chinese Ministry of Culture, Cathay Pacific, COSCO, Barfoot & Thompson, China Travel Service,New Zealand Chinese Herald, Classic Hits, Fairfax Media and SKYKIWI.

More information about the festival can be found at aucklandnz.com/lantern.

Queens Wharf Auckland Lantern Festival Programme

Friday 14 February
• 2.00pm – 5.30pm: Family activities including lantern making, face painting, temporary tattoos, puppet show
• 5.30pm – 7.00pm: “Show Me Shorts” - A selection of top short films around the theme of finding your place in the world. Presented by - New Zealand's only Academy Awards® accredited film festival.
• 7.15pm – 7.25pm: “Jockey of Sand” - Live multimedia sand painting performance by the All Theatre Art Association from Hong Kong.
• 7.30pm – 9.00pm: FLAT 3 - A made for the web comedy series about three Chinese Kiwi flatmates in Auckland.

Saturday 15 February
• 2.00pm – 5.30pm: Family activities including lantern making, face painting, temporary tattoos, puppet show
• 5.30pm – 7.00pm: Mulan - Family movie
• 7.15pm – 7.25pm: “Jockey of Sand” - Live multimedia sand painting performance by the All Theatre Art Association from Hong Kong.
• 7.30pm – 9.00pm: Journey to the West - A story centred on Tang Sanzang, a Buddhist trying to protect a village from three demons.

Sunday 16 February
• 2.00pm – 5.30pm: Family activities including lantern making, face painting, temporary tattoos, puppet show
• 5.30pm – 7.00pm: Karate Kid (starts at 5pm) - Family movie
• 7.15pm – 7.25pm: “Jockey of Sand” - Live multimedia sand painting performance by the All Theatre Art Association from Hong Kong.
• 7.30pm – 9.00pm: Lost in Thailand - On a wild road trip, three men find inner peace in the city that never sleeps

ENDS

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