Pressure on tickets for festival

Tickets to AK09 shows are going fast, with three of the 87 acts on offer already completely sold-out. Photo / Supplied

The 2009 Auckland Festival got off to a strong start and the message is to get in quick because some acts have already sold out, organisers say.

"It's going really well. We've opened very strongly," said Rachel Lorimer, the festival's publicist.

Three of the 87 acts in the 18-day festival had sold out and bookings were filling up for other events.

Ms Lorimer said the circus performance La Clique, comedian Tim Minchin and Te Karakia - the theatre production set during the 1981 Springbok rugby tour - were sold out.

The festival - the fourth - opened on Thursday, and the Sky Tower was lit with the colour teal to mark the festivities.

"Aucklanders do seem to be really excited about having the festival here," Ms Lorimer said.

"It is a reasonably young festival still, but I think every time it happens, there's an increased awareness.

"The feedback on the programme that people have seen so far has been really great - the reviews have just been fantastic."

Ms Lorimer said people had contacted her looking for tickets for sold-out events but in the tight context of a festival there was no scope for additional performances. "I'd get in pretty quickly - particularly for shows that are on only for one or two nights."

Festival-goers were enjoying having Aotea Square set up as the "Red Square" party zone and the weekend's sunny weather had attracted plenty of visitors.