Pickle Pot Be-In organisers Caleb Jack and Aurelie Bray. Photo / Rosalie Willis
Pickle Pot Be-In organisers Caleb Jack and Aurelie Bray. Photo / Rosalie Willis
Earlier this year a group of friends started the Pickle Pot Be-In, enjoying a day off at the beach, bringing with them a bunch of guitars and having a good time.
Having such a good time, they decided to turn it into a festival in Paekākāriki for all young people to enjoy.
But little did they know they were reviving a festival from the past, of the same name, almost at the same place - in the 1980s at the Pickle Pot in Queen Elizabeth Park.
Organised for young people, by young people, the Pickle Pot Be-In is set to be a festive day full of sound, sun and smiles, held on the first Saturday of the New Year, January 2, 2021.
It is being organised by Caleb Jack and Aurélie Bray along with a number of their friends, with help from the Kāpiti Coast Youth Council and Kaibosh Kapiti.
The festival will feature local talent with music, dance, circus acts, magicians, face painting, a bouncy castle, good food, an open-mic session and plenty more.
"This is not a sit-in, this is not stand-in, this is the Pickle Pot Be-In," said organiser Aurélie Bray.
"This is an opportunity for the young talent of Kāpiti to thrive and give back to the community with a free entry festival.
"It's an opportunity to come together, throw our phones away and prance green fields without seeing a skyscraper or a traffic light.
"Listen, share and dance with our local bands, let your hair down, breathe unspoiled air, and 'be' - something we don't do enough.
"You see, this fun is found and created by ourselves, no big-name artist or expensive price tag should determine your joy."
The Pickle Pot Be-In will also be an opportunity for young people to get involved with a number of other causes.
"Gathering such a big group of people inspired us to utilise the opportunity and give back to the community," Caleb said.
"We are not limiting it to music.
"Other activities include sending postcards to people, and partnering with another organisation to write and send letters to people in prison.
"While the festival is 100 per cent free, there will be a koha opportunity at the entrance for Kapiti Youth Support, an organisation which has done so much for our community."
Not only is the festival free entry, but everything at the festival including food and merchandise will free.
The organisers have received funding from the Paraparaumu /Raumati Community Board, Kapiti Coast Youth Council, and are waiting on a number of other finding options to keep the festival free for everyone.
"Our idea is that everything will be free which is very ambitious.
"We are repurposing election billboards by painting them and turning them into advertising posters, Kaibosh are giving the festival 100kg of free food and we are repurposing old clothing by raiding op shops and turning $1 T-shirts into merchandise to give away for free.
"While this is for youth, we're also keen for older people to come and relive those moments they had in their youth at the Pickle Pot," Aurelie said.
"Talking to my aunty about it who attended back in the day, she said it used to be a big thing in the community.
"This makes me even more inspired to recreate this legacy.
"We want to create a space where people can have fun in an alcohol and smoke-free environment on the first Saturday of the year."
