NPDC Lighting Up Your Winter Over Matariki Weekend

Get ready for four nights of lights and entertainment when NPDC’s TSB Festival of the Lights Winter Pop-Up kicks off this Thursday. Here’s what you need to know.

On from Thursday 27 June – Sunday 30 June, the festival features light installations and a range of entertainment with lights on each night from 5pm - 10pm.

Located in New Plymouth's city centre, illuminating light installations and whānau-friendly entertainment will be spread across spaces near Huatoki Plaza, Puke Ariki Landing, Ariki Street and the Coastal Walkway.

"The TSB Festival of Lights Winter Pop-Up has fast become a favourite on the local events calendar and the team has been working hard to pull together some stellar entertainment featuring country, blues, kapa haka and fire poi to electronica. All nine light installations have not been seen before in New Plymouth,” says NPDC Events Lead Lisa Ekdahl.

Road closures

To allow people to wander around the area safely, Ariki Street from Egmont Street to Currie Street will be closed to traffic from 4pm – 11pm each night. Traffic coming into the city is expected to be high.

Parking

Centre City is offering free parking between 5.30pm – 10.30pm each night of the festival. Cars can only enter via the St Aubyn Street, level three ramp and all vehicles must have exited the car park by 10.30pm. See event website for the special promo code to take advantage of this offer.

Easy to get around

A limited number of mobility parks are located in the Wind Wand carpark and in the Centre City car park. Centre City will only be accessible via St Aubyn Street.

Light installations can be accessed by those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility and mobility scooters and wheelchairs are available to hire, free of charge but bookings are essential. Please contact Taranaki Information Centre trust on 022 166 8720 or via email info@taranaki.org.nz

Entertainment galore

We have more than 13 different performances throughout the four-night festival from bands and dancers to kapa haka.

Check out the line up and everything else you need to know on the festival website festivaloflights.nz.

Fast Facts:

• While the festival is held over Mataraki weekend, Taranaki and Whanganui iwi recognise [the star] Puanga when celebrating  Māori New Year, which happens in June or July. Other iwi refer to this celebration as Matariki.
• The lighting and entertainment line-up will feature both local and national artists.
• This 2023/24 TSB Festival of Lights pumped GDP of $9.2 million into the Taranaki economy and attracted 175,000 people over summer, up 20 per cent on previous year.

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