Guided tour for blind, low-vision people at Lantern Festival

MEDIA RELEASE

7 February 2017

Guided tour for blind and low-vision people at Auckland Lantern Festival

Tailor-made audio-described tour on Thursday 9 February

Blind and low-vision people can take a guided audio tour of the Auckland Lantern Festival on Thursday, 9 February.

An audio-described tour with a tailored commentary will be delivered by a professional audio describer using a discreet headset with a single earpiece headphone, describing the visual elements of the tour through the festival site.

The tour is free but advance registrations are required as places and headsets are limited. It will take place from 6pm – 7.15pm.

Audio describer Nicola Owen says the tour enables blind and low vision patrons to enjoy visual arts and cultural events alongside their sighted peers.

"The festival is a huge and popular event in Auckland and a having an audio-described tour means that people who are blind or have low vision get an opportunity to be part of a cultural festival that many other Aucklanders enjoy each year. The audio description commentary enables visitors who are blind or have low vision to appreciate the lanterns and to learn about the festival," says Nicola Owen.

To register interest, contact Nicola Owen by email on audiodescribedaotearoa@gmail.com, or text or call 0210358513.

People who have registered for the tour can meet at the Wintergarden Pavilion Café by 5.45pm (café will be open for food and drinks) or contact Nicola to arrange walking or transport from the Blind Foundation.

Accessible parking/drop off for the Auckland Lantern Festival is on Museum Circuit Road - enter from behind Auckland Museum, off Maunsell Road, Parnell. An Auckland Lantern Festival traffic controller will ask to see accessible parking accreditation or will let through cars for ‘drop off’.

Friends and family are welcome to come along on the tour and can also access a headset if numbers allow.

The Auckland Lantern Festival is delivered by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), on behalf of Auckland Council, in partnership with the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

ATEED Head of Major Events Charmaine Ngarimu says the festival team works closely with Be. Accessible and other organisations to continue to increase the accessibility of the Auckland Lantern Festival and the other cultural festivals ATEED delivers for Auckland.

“We continue to explore ways and talk to our events and city partners about how our events can be as accessible and inclusive as possible, so anyone who wants to can enjoy these events which celebrate our diversity and bring the community together.”

ATEED and Asia New Zealand Foundation acknowledge the sponsors and supporters of the 2017 Auckland Lantern Festival: Principal Sponsor ASB, Chinese Ministry of Culture, Lotto New Zealand, Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Air New Zealand, Barfoot & Thompson, COSCO (New Zealand) Ltd, China Travel Service (N.Z), The Hits, Chinese Herald, Stuff, The Better Drinks Company, Emerald Foods, Resene, SKYCITY, Fotile, Quitline and Auckland Transport.

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