Auckland welcomes new annual music festival

Media release

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23 September 2015

Auckland welcomes new annual music festival

Auckland is welcoming a new annual music and culture festival to its sizzling summer events calendar.

Auckland City Limits, announced today by promoters CRS (NZ Big Day Out), C3 (Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits) and Live Nation, will take place at Western Springs Park and Stadium on 19 March 2016.

The festival is inspired by and aligned with the world-class Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas, and its promoters aim to fuse the best elements of Austin’s premier festival with a New Zealand flavour.

The one-day event will showcase 40 musical acts, local art, fashion and food, a kids’ zone and a new festival forum for speaking on and exchanging cultural and innovative ideas.

The inaugural festival will be supported by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA).

Mayor Len Brown says “This is an innovative addition to Auckland’s major events calendar, a multi-faceted music and cultural festival with long-term potential to not only be a great outing for local music and arts lovers, but a chance for Auckland to forge cultural and business links to this dynamic American arts and tech hub.”

ATEED Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says Auckland City Limits was one of events that applied for support as part of the ATEED’s 2015/16 sponsorship round.

“We think Auckland City Limits has good medium to long-term potential to deliver significant benefits to Auckland in addition to bringing new money into our local economy and providing a new draw-card for visitors. Aucklanders get a fresh new festival offering, and the relationship to Austin City Limits will open doors to showcase Auckland and its people to the American market. ATEED has started discussions with Austin’s visitor and business bureaux about mutual opportunities.”

Regional Facilities Auckland Chief Executive Chris Brooks says that he’s delighted to welcome Auckland City Limits to Western Springs.

“Western Springs Stadium is a proven festival venue and we welcome the addition of Auckland City Limits to the events calendar. Our Auckland Stadiums and Auckland Live teams are really excited about being part of bringing what promises to be a stellar festival to the people of Auckland and visitors to the city.”

Ends

Notes for editors:

• Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) is a council-controlled organisation tasked with the attraction and sponsorship of major events in Auckland, as well as focussing on the region’s economic wellbeing and marketing of Auckland as a destination.

o www.facebook.com/visitAuckland

o www.facebook.com/whatsoninAKLwww.twitter.com/Auckland_NZ

o www.instagram.com/VisitAuckland

• Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) is council-controlled organisation that provides a regional approach to running and developing Auckland’s arts, culture and heritage, sport and leisure sector. RFA manages more than $1 billion worth of major regional facilities and landmark venues across the city, including Western Springs Stadium.

• The line-up for the festival will be announced in October. More information about the festival is available at www.aucklandcitylimitsfestival.com or:

o www.facebook.com/ACLFestivalNZ

o www.twitter.com/ACLFestivalNZ

o www.instagram.com/ACLFestivalNZ

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