Festival touted biggest yet

The culmination of months of work to deliver the most comprehensive festival programme in the NZ Garden & Art Festival's history came to a head last night.

More than 100 sponsors and supporters celebrated the launch of the ninth biennial festival's programme at the home of two of the festival's strongest supporters, Paul and Cheryl Adams.


Festival director John Beech with the structure built at The Lakes for the festival's hanging garden.

Festival director John Beech says the programme, featuring old favourites and new attractions, genuinely reflects the festival as a garden and art event.

'The festival team is proud to present a programme of festival events which span gardening, arts, food, fashion, environment and lifestyle.”

The Garden Trail remains the backbone of the festival with 94 stops spread out from Katikati to Maketu. 'Fifty per cent of our garden and art stops are fresh to this festival,” says John, while reassuring festival regulars that many of their perennial favourites remain.

The highlight of this ninth biennial festival is the creation of a genuine festival hub, he says.

The Lakes Expo Pavilion will be the site of more than a dozen exhibitions and installations, many merging the line between gardening and art, and a café.

Entry to the Pavilion is free. It is also the venue for a fashion show and for the festival's Speaker and Workshop Series.

'We have speakers covering the spectrum of gardening and art, with food well represented by our Masterchef winners, Karena and Kasey Bird.

'We feature award winning New Zealand gardeners and artists and have two international guests this festival,” says John.

Tickets to festival events are on sale now from Ticketek and local outlets with earlybird discounts till September 30.

The bright pink programmes can be picked up from cafes and other outlets all over the region from midweek.

Visit www.nzgardenandartfest.co.nz for more information.

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