Auckland City Council - City Scene

Dragons and Chinese acrobats, Mah Jong, cooking and children's drawing competitions, a Guangzhou-style market and food street, free live entertainment all day... this is the essence of Auckland's first Guangzhou Day, to be held in the Auckland Town Hall next Saturday, November 6.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the sister city relationship between Auckland City and the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, Guangzhou Day is being staged to bring the life and colour of China into the heart of Auckland.

A highlight of the day will be performances by the world class Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China. There will also be a host of entertainment which ranges from Chinese traditional music instruments and opera to children¡s ballet, and from martial arts demonstrations to sword dancing.

At Guangzhou Day, New Zealand's first mahjong competition will be held and there will be demonstrations of Chinese chess, a cooking competition with some of Auckland's finest Chinese chefs, a children's drawing competition and an exhibition of photos, calligraphy, folk art and painting which has been brought to Auckland from Guangzhou

Chinese food and merchandise will be on sale, and there will be stalls with traditional Chinese medicines, calligraphy and fortune telling.

Children's drawing competition:
Pictured below left are neighbours Daniel Hicks, Eliana Xu and Lynnette Xu who are practicing their drawing skills in readiness for the children's drawing competition which will be part of Guangzhou Day activities on Saturday, November 6 at the Town Hall.

Prizes for the drawing competition include four Sony Playstations for the winners, cash prizes for second and third place winners and numerous spot prizes.

The competition runs from 10 am to 2.30pm with winners announced on the day. All materials are supplied to entrants who must be primary school aged children over seven or intermediate school students.

For more information contact Lynnette Mafuolo on 373-6132.

Acrobats:
A full Chinese acrobatic performance is a truly incredible and heart stopping spectacle. Now Aucklanders will get the chance to see highlights of such a spectacle in their own city - free of charge! Guangzhou Day on 6 November will include two live performances of the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China.

Members of the famous acrobatic troupe will stage a show that includes juggling, balancing and traditional acrobatics.

The Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe is one of China's best, says the event's organiser Caroline Lassiter.

"Since it was founded in 1959, the troupe has performed in over 20 countries, including the United States, England and Australia and has won nearly 50 prizes in circus and acrobatic festivals around the world."

But the only headache, she says, is where to store 730 kilos of props, including tall poles and spinnable plates for balancing acts, equipment for a magic show, and special tables for feet-juggling!

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