Local children gathered to join Toitoi in launching the upcoming Lift Off kids art festival. Photo / Kirsten Simcox
Local children gathered to join Toitoi in launching the upcoming Lift Off kids art festival. Photo / Kirsten Simcox
Hastings’ first-ever arts festival aimed specifically at kids was launched at Toitoi on March 14, with excitement building for the two-week celebration of imagination and creativity coming in April.
At the launch event, tamariki and their parents got a taste of what’s in store at the Lift Off Festival, with the children assigned the role of assistant stage managers – dressing their grown-ups in fancy ensembles fit for the opera house stage.
Those who attended received a hearty welcome from 11-year-old Noah Pickering van Wieren, who introduced Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, herself colourfully clad in what she described as “part jockey, part queen of infrastructure” attire.
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst is thrilled that Heretaunga Hastings will be hosting this incredible children’s festival. Photo / Kirsten Simcox
The mayor said she is thrilled Hastings will be hosting the “incredible” children’s festival.
Hazlehurst added, “We want this to be an annual event that secures a place in the calendar as the country’s national children’s festival.
“Getting dressed up, being creative, that’s what it’s all about and I’m sure everybody is going to have a wonderful time over the two weeks the festival runs.”
Lift Off, which will run from April 8 to 19 at Toitoi, is centred on children, with a huge range of events and activities to explore - performances; interactive, participatory, and immersive experiences; workshops; design projects; exhibitions; parades and much more.
Toitoi presenter services manager Glen Pickering and artistic director Juliet Cottrell presented the Lift Off programme to those who attended the launch, and also took the opportunity to announce a new pay-it-forward kaupapa, called the 100s and 1000s Club.
All children attending the launch were assigned the role of assistant stage managers – dressing their grown-ups in fancy ensembles fit for the Opera House stage. Photo / Kirsten Simcox
The 100s and 1000s club leverages community support to ensure more tamariki in Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay can experience the positive impact of arts, culture, and creativity. Individuals and businesses are invited to donate as many $10 tickets as they like and, if they wish, assign them to specific kura.
Toitoi’s goal is to donate 1000 tickets to tamariki throughout the community, so more children can attend the festival.
Pickering said, “We know there are lots of barriers to kids having access to creative experiences and that’s why a festival for kids is so important.
“It shows that we value children as whole people. And if collectively as a community we can show tamariki their value, it’s going to have better outcomes for our community as a whole”.
Last week’s launch ended as all good kids’ parties do: with spider drinks, hotdogs, fruit skewers, chocolate crackle, and the expectation of plenty of fun ahead at the two-week festival.
Check out all the events on the Toitoi website, as well as the 100s and 1000s club donations page.
