8 March 2012
It is all on tomorrow!

Talofa lava. It all begins tomorrow when guest artists from Samoa, Lole Usoali’i and Iva Lamkum, perform at the Pasifika Opening Night Concert on 9 March at Western Springs Park.

Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) Event Producer Ole Maiava says Samoa has lots of celebrating to do at Pasifika Festival 2012.

“This year marks both the 50th anniversary of Samoa’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship between New Zealand and Samoa.

“Pasifika Festival Day on Saturday 10 March will see the transformation of the park by 10 villages from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Niue, Tahiti, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Aotearoa. Each village will offer food, art, dance, and music.

“The Samoan village will rock with Samoa's legendary Five Stars band. Other highlights include traditional food, arts and crafts, and a stage full of entertainment featuring, The Feelstyle, Ria, Lil Saintz Dance Crew, Stks, Phia Wilson, Tatau Dance Group,” says Mr. Maiava.

“Samoa has also been recognised this year with the Festival themes. Each year the Festival has a different theme uniting the events and performances. This year it is the navigating bird, the gogo (Samoan for noddy tern) and the gardenia.

“Keep an eye out for how these themes are expressed throughout the Festival, including during the Opening Night Concert,” says Mr. Maiava.

Lock it in your calendar, dust off your sunnies and be part of Pasifika Festival 2012.

Ends

Notes to editors
• Interviews are available with members of the Five Stars band.
• The Pasifika Festival 2012 celebrates 20 years of showcasing Pacific cultures.
• Friday 9 March, 7pm - 9pm, the Pasifika Festival Opening Night Concert will feature performances from 10 different cultures and special guests.
• Saturday 10 March, 10am - 5pm, Pasifika Festival Day will see the park transformed into 10 villages from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Niue, Tahiti, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Aotearoa. Each village will offer food, art, dance, and music.
• Entry is FREE, and for the first time the park will be fenced with six entrances located on Great North Road (x2), Motions Road, Stadium Rd, and near Western Springs Stadium and Auckland Zoo.
• Visit: http://www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika for more information.

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