The Real Tauranga Festival is revised to be a four week event as opposed to the originally planned six week extravaganza.
The decision to scale it back is made owing to financial constraints, with a shorter festival enabling better quality entertainment.
The Real Festival is being held by the Tauranga waterfront and includes a covered stage area at the Edgewater Fan – pictured here.
Organiser Aaron McCallion says the high cost of setting up stages and other infrastructure over six weeks meant less money was left for entertainment.
Festival events will be held Thursdays-Sundays, with activities starting on Thursday, September 15 and finishing on Sunday, October 16.
At a presentation last week, event schedules were unveiled for the first and last weeks of the festival, but organisers are still finalising plans – including sponsorship – for the middle weeks.
'We don't want to over-promise so we are not announcing anything until it's confirmed, but we've still got 49 days left so we are confident we will be offering a lot more to come,” says Aaron.
Acts booked for the first week (September 15-18) include the Patea Maori Club and reggae band 1814.
A family festival in the last week (October 13-16) will be topped by the Phoenix Foundation and the Thomas Oliver Band. Also performing is Tauranga 11-year-old Shavaugn Kinsella.
Event coordinator Mel Cottingham says they are focusing on having events that will appeal to different sections of the community – so that the festival offers something for everyone.
'We are still looking at the other weeks,” says Mel.
'We've got a few ideas that we are working on, but it comes down to the support we get.”
Plans for an adventure hub by the Kestrel pontoon have been confirmed, with many local tourism operators confirmed to showcase activities.
Festival organisers want to hear from anyone interested in holding food or produce stalls for a market planned from Thursday, October 13 to Sunday, October 16.
'We are having a family festival for those four days so we are wanting farmers market type stall-holders to take part.”
7 comments
WHITE ELEPHANT
Posted on 24-07-2011 12:27 | By YOGI
Oh what a good idea ... but why not use that "SHED" at Baypark it is already there and more than enough money has been spent on it already that it should be good enough by now? or perhaps is it that it is in the wrong place or some other equally obvious reason therefore not much use to anyone or anything!
Entry Fees??
Posted on 25-07-2011 10:29 | By born & raised
Is this going to be a Free Entry thing and then pay for what you want to see or is it going to be like the Mid-Winter Christmas where you pay to get into something and then have to pay for everything you want to take part in once through the door???
entry fees
Posted on 25-07-2011 12:44 | By gubbys
agree with the first comment if you have an entry fee than charge for everything inside this would be a waste of time and a complete flop. i definatly will not go if it is like the mid winter xmas. there was a huge group of us going to go to it but when we heard you had to double pay we all decided not to go and had a good weekend anyway.
Re: Entry Fees
Posted on 25-07-2011 13:53 | By JulesB
Maybe you were "born & raised" not to take advantage of the free music (Kokomo excelled), magical nighttime atmosphere for the kids and the opportunity to experience a little of what christmas is like in Europe. AT $12 for a family (yes it always pays to book in advance) we had nothing to complain about. I'm sure it will be even better next year.
Someone has to ask.......
Posted on 25-07-2011 16:55 | By Tony
Any truth in the story that this is being put togeather by a down town pub, I have no problem at all with that. Thats the spirt of enterprize that I activly encourage. Im sure there is some funding fron the "Special Goverment fund" set up to ensure smaller places shared in the fun. If it is private enterprize please tell me TCC arent going to underwrite this as well. Because if its business yes you will have to pay tp enjoy this sort of event surly thats only fair isnt it ? What do you want people to set up stalls and alike to give away free coffee and beer? No so they sell their product to make a profit...Good on them ...But thats their Business....Not Council Business
@ JulesB & Tony
Posted on 26-07-2011 10:32 | By born & raised
I actually did go to the Mid-Winter Christmas and I did pay for a family pass. No I did not get it at the great price of $12.00 as to be honest I was unaware it was even happening untill the day before!!!. I made sure we had "fun" and yes if I want to buy lollies and alcohol I will but it really would be nice to get something for paying the entry fee to entise you to attend. Thanks goodness for bands like Left Hand Break who didnt charge us extra to watch. My question was how much is it going to cost us to watch the likes of 1814? is this going to be come and enjoy with your family the entertainment and buy some food and refreshments while you are here enjoying your self? Why do you see this as such a bad question? We also attended the Seafood Festival and paid to get in for a family....at least the entertainers were free to watch.
food stalls
Posted on 27-07-2011 15:51 | By pebbles
Hiya just wondering who do we contact to put a stall in for the festival. Thanks.
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