Art Deco Festival Napier: Let's talk all things vintage

You'll feel a million dollars cruising past Napier's architectural gems on an Art Deco Trust Vintage Car Tour. Photo / supplied

Tony Mairs is the Art Deco Trust vintage car coordinator for Art Deco Trust in Napier. Here he details his top tips and favourite bits from the annual summer festival.

As the vintage car coordinator for the Art Deco Trust, I oversee the seamless running of the cars on the busiest weekend of the year - Art Deco Napier. I get huge satisfaction from seeing the joy on people's faces who come to experience Art Deco Napier, including the vintage car tours.

Tony Mairs from Art Deco Vintage Car Tours says he loves the positivity and style of the deco era. Photo / supplied

The festival really is a one-off event that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world. The atmosphere of the city is always one of fun and positivity. Of course, being a car man, I think the vintage car parade (of more than 300 cars travelling through the city centre) is a major highlight, but the vintage aeroplanes flying overhead, and seeing thousands of people dressed in Art Deco era costumes is dazzling.

If you're a first-time festival-goer, I recommend learning all about Napier's history early on in your visit; come and understand why we are the Art Deco Capital of the world. You will see the city through new eyes. Also, bring along a few changes of Art Deco clothing, you will feel left out without it.

Tickets are soon to go on sale for Napier's Art Deco Festival 2023, one of the city's most popular events. Photo / supplied

There is a lot to appreciate about the Art Deco era. I love the simplicity of the period; the positivity of the time having been through war and depression. The emergence of modern materials and machinery would have been an exciting time to be alive, and the style of the time and its fashion is still relevant today.

Alongside the fabulous Art Deco Festival, Napier has no shortage of must-do attractions and activities. For family fun, visit Marine Parade and the National Aquarium of New Zealand. For adults, you cannot go past our food and wine experiences. There's also the impressive gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers and hundreds of kilometres of safe cycle paths.

Tickets go on sale from November 8 for next year's Art Deco Festival, on from February 16-19. artdecofestival.co.nz