Art Deco Festival to showcase Hawke's Bay's wonderful heritage

L-R Glen Pickering, Art Deco festival director, Sandra Hazelhurst Hastings Mayor, Michael Fowler historian, Susan McDade. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hastings is set to feature prominently as part of the Tremains Art Deco Festival, with an array of events showcasing its Art Deco heritage.

As part of the 30th festival celebrations the Art Deco Trust has partnered with Hastings District Council and the Hastings City Business Association to bring together a series of events dedicated to illuminating the city's fascinating and fantastic Art Deco heritage.

"Hastings has rich Art Deco heritage that completes the fabric of what makes Art Deco special in the region," Art Deco Trust festival director Glen Pickering said.

"We wanted to do something to celebrate the Hastings Art Deco story and this pop-up museum and other events are the perfect way to bring the heritage to life".

Pickering said there would be a bevy of stories about Hastings' heritage that people would not have heard and that while they were there they would also be able to enjoy refreshments such as iced and hot tea.

"We want it to be a place that people can come relax and enjoy hearing Hastings heritage."

The main attraction will be the Hastings Art Deco Pop up Museum, situated at the old AMI in Hastings City Mall which will run from 10am until 4pm, starting this Wednesday up until Friday.

The pop-up museum will feature images and stories from the 1931 Earthquake, through to the establishment of Art Deco throughout the city, as well as opportunities to hear the history of Hastings from hosts and movies. All the content has been researched and sourced by respected historian Michael Fowler.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst believes bringing more Art Deco events to Hastings is of great benefit to the city.

"This is Hawke's Bay largest event and by drawing people to Hastings to enjoy our wonderful city and discover our heritage is brilliant. With the fashion market, fashion parade and concert all happening on the Thursday it will be a great chance for people to come and experience the best that Hastings has to offer."

"We are very excited to be part of the whole Art Deco Festival showcasing some of our beautiful Art Deco buildings because we have some incredible Art Deco buildings in Hastings and this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase them to our visitors and our locals and celebrate the time, period and have some fun."

Hastings City Business Association general manager Susan McDade said: "For us the earthquake was such a turning period for the architectural style of Hastings and we still see that many of our business were around at the time of the earthquake.

"For us the whole history and what the earthquake brought for Hastings and the future is really important and this is a way for us to celebrate that."

The Hastings Art Deco Festival events are based at the Hastings City Mall and include Madness in the Mall (an Art Deco fashion market), Hasting Fashion Flaunt (Costume parade and competition) and Hastings Art Deco Concert (featuring renowned Wellington Band, City Jazz).

Thursday will also feature the Twin City Stompers, Born to Move Deco Dancers and Buskers throughout the day.

"I can't wait to see everyone dressed up and celebrating our cities proud heritage," Hazlehurst said.

The Tremains Art Deco Festival starts on Wednesday and runs through to Sunday.

To view the programme, book tickets and for more information go to www.artdeconapier.com