The Lantern Festival is due to take place on Captain Cook and Marsden wharves. Photo / Nick Reed
The Lantern Festival is due to take place on Captain Cook and Marsden wharves. Photo / Nick Reed
Fingers crossed, the rescheduling of the next races for the Prada Cup final will be the only big event affected by the latest lockdown in Auckland.
Two events keeping a close watch are the Auckland Pride Festival, which is currently in full swing, and the Lantern Festival at Captain Cookand Marsden Wharves from February 25-28.
It's a curveball for the Prada and Ineos America's Cup teams, who have tightly planned schedules and carefully managed timetables.
Ineos Team UK skipper Sir Ben Ainslie said New Zealand "has led the world" with its response to Covid-19 and it was logical that sporting endeavours took a back seat in these situations.
Ineos skipper Sir Ben Ainslie. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Other than the Prada Cup final and shutdown of the America's Cup village for activities, event operators are hoping the three-day lockdown will not be extended.
Shaughan Woodcock, event manager for Saturday's 5.30pm Pride Parade on Ponsonby Rd, said the organisers are monitoring the situation and getting advice from the Auckland Council and the Ministry of Health.
"The health and safety of everyone participating, volunteering and attending the parade is paramount," he said.
As well as big events, many small events could be affected by the lockdown. They include Auckland Shakespeare in the Park at the PumpHouse Theatre in Takapuna, Auckland Live's Fringe Town at the Auckland Town Hall and Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari tours, running from Saturday until February 28.
Auckland's Pride Parade is due to take place along Ponsonby Rd on Saturday. Photo / File
Tomorrow night's opening of "Te Whare Kapua" at Mangere Arts Centre has been cancelled, as well as the Wednesday and Thursday shows.
Auckland Unlimited, the council-controlled organisation that oversees big events, said it is working with the Ministry of Health and other agencies and event partners to ascertain any potential effects should the alert level remain unchanged or move to level 2.
Chief executive Nick Hill said America's Cup Event Ltd is doing the same to work through the ongoing ramifications for the Prada Cup final.
Meanwhile, the move to level 3 has not stopped building work on major projects across the city, although a spokesman for the NZ Transport Agency said some works have slowed today due to the wind and rain.
