What's on in Whanganui this week? October 17-23

Photo / Antonia Sims

The Whanganui Festival of Cultures culminates in a celebration of diversity at Majestic Square this Saturday. There will be a vast array of cultural performances and international food stalls. This is the ninth consecutive year of the festival and the line-up will include the phenomenal IPU New Zealand Kodama Japanese Drum Team joining a host of local performers for a day-long, family-friendly event. There are also international movie screenings and a tamariki kapa haka performance this week.

THURSDAY

River City Artists
When: 9.30am-4pm
Where: Christ Church Community Hall, 243 Wicksteed St
Details: Beginners to established artists. Contact Val 343 6316 or 027 459 9448.

Tuna and Piharau
When: 5.30-6.30pm
Where: Davis Lecture Theatre, Watt St
Details: Whanganui Regional Museum spring lecture series. Lee Rauhina-August from Niwa outlines the issues facing New Zealand's culturally significant tuna (eel) and piharau (lamprey) species. Koha appreciated.

Thoughtful Thursday
When: 6.30pm
Where: Confluence, 15 Watt St
Details: Pascal Plisson's film On the Way to School tells the stories of four children - Jackson, the Kenyan; Carlito, the Argentinian; Zahira, the Moroccan and Samuel, the Indian. Limited door sales, $10 entry. Book at www.confluence.kiwi or call 06 281 3474.

Stories are good for your health
When: 7.30pm
Where: Sarjeant on the Quay, 38 Taupō Quay
Details: Talk by award-winning author Sue Wootton. Tickets: $12 includes homemade cake and coffee. Call 06 349 0506 to book.

Meditation
When: 6pm-7.30pm
Where: Whanganui Community Arts Centre, 19 Taupo Quay
Details: Drop-in classes with Gen Demo from Amitabha Buddhist Centre. Suggested donation $12.

The Jacquin Trio
When: 7.30pm
Where: Prince Edward Auditorium, Whanganui Collegiate
Details: Clarinetist Jessie Grimes, violin and viola player Kay Stephen and pianist Charis Hanning will present the final concert of the 2019 celebrity subscription series. Pay at the door (no eftpos). Adults $35, seniors $32, subscribers $20, students $5.

.

.

FRIDAY

Tamariki Kapa Haka
When: 11am
Where: Majestic Square
Details: Upokongaro School will lead a group of Whanganui schools in a kapa haka showcase cultural event.

Stargazing
When: 7pm
Where: Ward Observatory, Cooks Gardens, St Hill St
Details: Entry is by donation (suggested $2). Call Ross 027 245 8066 with queries.

The Mean Owls Home Turf
When: 9pm
Where: Lucky Bar + Kitchen, 53 Wilson St
Details: Local band The Mean Owls entertains. Free.

SATURDAY

Whanganui River Markets
When: 8.30am-1pm
Where: Downtown Whanganui riverbank
Details: Goods, produce, food.

Whanganui Festival of Cultures
When: From 10am
Where: Majestic Square
Details: A fun day of cultural celebrations offering sights, tastes and sounds that celebrate Whanganui's cultural diversity.

Spring Plant Fair
When: 9am–12.30pm
Where: St Stephen's Church hall, Maunder St, Marton
Details: Flower and vegetable seedlings, succulents, shrubs and more. Cash only.

Walking tours
When: By appointment
Where: Whanganui i-Site
Details: Learn about Whanganui's history, buildings and people. $10 per person. Book at Whanganui i-Site.

RiverCity Craft Beer Festival 2019
When: From 3pm
Where: Whanganui Musicians Club, 65 Drews Ave
Details: Sample craft beers from five breweries from the mountains to the sea while enjoying primo live music and wood-fired pizza. Tickets $35 from whanganui.beer

Bittercup at Lucky
When: 8pm
Where: Lucky Bar + Kitchen, 53 Wilson St
Details: Taranaki alt-rock band Bittercup return for round two with support from Emily Riordan and special guest vocalist Lauren Nottingham.

.

SUNDAY

Castlecliff Market
When: 11am-3pm
Where: 5 Bryce St, Castlecliff
Details: Goods, produce, food.

The Zoya Factor
When: 1.30pm
Where: Embassy Theatre, Victoria Ave
Details: Bollywood movie screening as part of the Whanganui Festival of Cultures. Tickets $11 from Geeta's Spices and Veggies, 69 Guyton St.

Mable the tram
When: 1pm-3pm
Where: Tram Shed, 27 Taupo Quay
Details: Ride on No 12 vintage electric tram, $2.

Airport control tower
When: 1pm-3pm
Where: Whanganui Airport
Details: View the top-floor control cab. Koha. Contact Lynn 021 055 5476.

Biochar workshop
When: 9.30am-1pm
Where: Quaker Settlement, 73 Virginia Rd
Details: Demonstration of charcoal-making process and talk about crushing, activating or charging it as biochar compost. Koha appreciated. Call Shane 027 248 9406.

The Keys are in the Margarine
When: 7.30pm
Where: Royal Wanganui Opera House
Details: Arts on Tour NZ in association with Brain Research New Zealand presents a unique form of stagecraft, created from interviews with people with direct experience of Alzheimer's disease. Adult $25, senior/student/Friends OH $20, group 10+ $18 each. Book at RWOH.

MONDAY

Whanganui Film Society
When: 7pm
Where: Davis Theatre, Watt St
Details: Last Year at Marienbad - 1961 French classic from director Alain Resnais. See whanganuifilmsociety.org.nz for details.

TUESDAY

Art classes
When: 6pm
Where: Cooks Gallery, Trafalgar Pl
Details: Interested in embroidery? Call Lorraine 027 338 8606 or 344 2702.

Target shooting
When: 7pm
Where: Old RSA shooting range beneath The Barracks, St Hill St
Details: RSA Target Shooting Wanganui smallbore club welcomes new members aged 13-plus. $10 start fee. Contact Graeme Simpson 06 343 2772 or 020 408 19670.

WEDNESDAY

Knit and yarn
When: 10am-noon
Where: Ladies' Rest, 75 St Hill St
Details: All knitters welcome. Gold coin entry.

If you have an item for this free column, email news@whanganuichronicle.co.nz with details. The deadline for information about events from, and including, Thursday, October 24, to Wednesday, October 30, is Tuesday, October 22.