Pasifika Festival

Overview

This event is cool. I've got memories of attending this since I was a kid. They include my first experience of trying Kokoda, begging my Mum to buy more flax bags than I'd ever have reason for, and running away from the angry black swans. I swear, when you're five, those birds are freaky.

The famous Pasifika festival is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, and it certainly has become something of an Auckland institution. Taking over the lush grounds of Western Springs, the park becomes an oasis for the vibrancy and excitement of Pacific culture.

The festival is set up with ten villages offering music, food, arts and dance from ten different cultures. So you've got sounds, deliciousness, cool stuff to look at and moves to get down to. How many more boxes can you tick?

This year, Pasifika is having an opening night concert on the Friday from 7pm - 9pm. This will feature the best of Pacific stories and dances about this year's theme - the noddy tern and the gardenia.