Wickets, waves and wontons, a massive weekend in Auckland

Auckland turns on more free activities this weekend with Auckland Lantern Festival 2015, the Volvo Ocean Race Village, and ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 action heating up. The Fan Trail is back, for Auckland’s first fixture – the highly anticipated Australia vs New Zealand match at Eden Park.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says opening night of the Auckland Lantern Festival has created a real buzz in the city, and the opening of the VORAS village and anticipation for the fleet arrival provides a fantastic opportunity for Aucklanders and visitors to enjoy the summer events action.

“It’s been a great week for Auckland, firstly the BLACKCAPS were welcomed on Wednesday, Lantern Festival opening yesterday, our first ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 fixture tomorrow at Eden Park and the VORAS village on the waterfront opening today.”

“The show truly doesn’t stop for Auckland during our non-stop summer and this massive weekend is the first of two in coming weeks,” says Mayor Len Brown.

Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race says it is great to be back in Auckland – the spiritual home of sailing.

“For the sailors who have raced for more than 90 days to get to Auckland – nothing means more to them than having a welcome on the water at the Viaduct Harbour. Only Auckland can make this happen,” says Mr Frostad.

“Since I first arrived here as a sailor in the 1993 race, this has always been my favourite port stopover.”

The weekend will also see the first Auckland Fan Trail for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which is in action on each of the three weekend games in Auckland on 28 February, 7 March and 14 March.

The Fan Trail is a 4.4km walking route which starts at Britomart with banners, flags and bunting and builds as it nears Eden Park. A key feature is the parade of fans, led by the Royal New Zealand Navy band from the corner of Ponsonby and Great North Roads from 1pm. Fan Trail dressers will be on the final stage of the route providing props in team colours for free.

For more information on this weekend’s events visit aucklandndz.com, and to plan your travel visit at.govt.nz/events

Auckland Lantern Festival – Thursday 26 February – Sunday 1 March 2015:
Friday 27 Feb opening ceremony from 6.30pm
Saturday 28 Feb and Sunday 1 March
The 2015 Auckland Lantern Festival will welcome in the Chinese zodiac Year of the Goat – also known as Year of the Sheep – which symbolises greater peace, harmonious co-existence and tranquillity.
This year’s festival will also mark special anniversaries between Auckland and two of its Chinese sister cities: the 20-year anniversary with Ningbo and the 25-year anniversary with Guangzhou.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

Auckland will host four ICC Cricket World Cup matches, which are projected to inject 95,958 visitor nights and $18.86 million into the Auckland economy.
The Auckland Fanzone opened on 14 February, and is a family-friendly space to enjoy 47 of the 49 tournament matches live on a big screen (the three Perth games will only be screened until midnight NZ time).
The Fan Trail runs from the city centre to Eden Park, and will be in operation on the three weekend Auckland games (February 28, March 7, March 14)
The Fan Trail dressers will be dressing the crowd in the participating team colours for free.
A Fan Trail map and schedule are available on www.aucklandnz.com/cwc2015.

Volvo Ocean Race Auckland Stopover – 27 February 15 March
Volvo Sailing Have a Go programme gives people the opportunity to experience the thrills and spills of sailing in a safe and well managed environment
Free live music and entertainment
All fleet races will be screened on the main stage
'40 Years, 40 Faces' photographic exhibition

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