Year of Sheep off to a colourful start

Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·

15 Feb, 2015 04:00 PM2 mins to read

From left, Lea Martinez, Manisha Chandra and Jessica Velasquez after the 5km colour run in Albany. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The summer sunshine drew thousands to events and festivals around Auckland over the weekend.

Organisers of the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day at the ASB Showgrounds estimate 30,000 attended the event on Saturday to mark the start of the Year of the Sheep celebrations.

"We were blessed with good weather and it brought the crowds out," said festival organiser Kai Luey.

Dancers Florence Lin, Ruth Lin and Rita Chang perform in Henderson.

The Green Gardens Lunar Festival at Henderson's Trusts Arena yesterday also drew thousands ahead of Chinese New Year this Thursday.

In other events, about 8000 rainbow-coloured runners took part in "the colour run" in Albany. Runners on a 5km course were covered in brightly coloured powder at each kilometre mark.

Amirul Khalid, 22, took part for the first time, with friends visiting from Germany.

"We didn't quite complete the run, but we had fun and it was an incredible experience."

The event's national manager, Ashlee Munting, said the run was aimed at promoting the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Large crowds also attended the second annual "Come Fly With Me" festival held at Hobsonville Point to celebrate aviation history.

Daniel Michael, 6, with pilot Lionel Page at Hobsonville Point.

The Landing at the Point on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour was once home to the city's "flying boats" before jet aircraft and modern airports.

Visitors were treated to static aircraft and glider displays, and exhibitions by members of the Defence Force.

Meanwhile crowds of people, many wearing old-fashioned clothes, gathered for the centennial celebrations at Myers Park in central Auckland yesterday. The event started with the opening on a new playpark. Families enjoyed picnics and entertainment.