Earth, Food and Fire is a free community fire festival happening at the Waiohiki Creative Arts Village near Taradale this Labour Weekend.
On Friday, October 21, from 5 - 10pm, 20 fire sculptures will transform the arts village into a garden of flickering flames. Six musical acts will provide entertainment while people enjoy food from Black Betty BBQ and vegetarian fare from The Dosa Project.
The village has been running fire arts workshops for several weeks, and a troupe will perform with fire poi, fire staves and other fire toys several times during the evening.
Napier face-painter Cherie Meerlo will be painting flames and the like onto willing cheeks.
A key focus of the event will be two Te Ahi Kaaroa sculptural tributes to the village's master carver Hugh Tareha, who died in May. The two sculptures are being designed and built by Hawke's Bay artists Ricks Terstappen and Lance Greaves and supported with funds from the Hastings District Council's Creative Communities fund and the Port of Napier. Sculptors contributing work to the event include John Woodham, Glen Colechin, Asaki Kajima and Katie Metcalfe.