The ongoing rise in popularity of the vinyl record is reflected in the community success of Paekākāriki’s Village Vinyl
Fair and Village Dance, returning Saturday 13 February
When the country and the little village of Paekākāriki went into lockdown last year, memories were still fresh of
throngs of people rifling through boxes of vinyl records and dancing together fit to bust at the village’s first vinyl
fair and Village Dance at the Paekākāriki Bowling Club. With people coming from far and wide to a village becoming an
increasingly popular destination, the organisers decided to bring both fair and disco back for 2021.
It’s a town known for joyous musically-inspired community gatherings say organisers Mark Amery, Val Little and Pat
McIntosh, which is reflected in engagement with the radio station and the vinyl record
“We were impressed by the mix of people who came both to look at old records and dance. We were surprised by the number
of young people building record collections and joining the older residents in dancing hard out that night. Last year
the news from the UK and US was that vinyl record sales were their best in three decades, surpassing CDs and in the UK
alone accounting for one in five albums purchased. People are loving the tangible, physical objects with those juicy big
covers.“
As part of this year’s event the organisers, trust Paekākāriki Informed Community (who run the village’s popular
Paekākāriki FM and website platform, Paekākāriki.nz) have been posting images of local residents who have photographed themselves with album covers so that their faces and
postures mimic everyone ranging from Bob Marley to Sharon O’Neill (pictured are some examples) - it was one of the
village’s many lockdown inspired creative projects.
The vinyl fair, running 12noon to 3pm, and free to attend, features both stalls from visiting vinyl junkies and many
records donated by the community to support the radio station, which features over 35 locally hosted radio shows and an
active Paekākāriki School radio programme, running from the school’s former dental clinic. For entertainment the
station’s DJs will be spinning discs all afternoon and into the night.
This year there will be a special corner at the Bowler remembering a Paekākāriki community media legend, Don Polly who
passed away last year. Don was a veteran DJ and host of Blues to Bop, the radio station’s jazz show, and the editor of
celebrated community newspaper Paekākāriki Xpressed, which also used to be published by Paekākāriki Informed Community. There will be a sale of Don’s jazz vinyl collection
and his impeccable collection of books,.
The Village Dance that night is also all vinyl, with local DJs Deep Disruption, Garage Sale Funk, Vinyl and Proud, the
Good Taste Selector and DJ’s Mayatiita, Aims and DJ Maxine. Last year tickets sold out, and are available for $15 each
from the Paekākāriki Fruit and Veg on the village’s beach road.
For more information see the events page at www.paekakariki.nz