Fun, Magic and Laughter at Arrowtown Autumn Festival

10 April 2012

Fun, Magic and Laughter at Arrowtown Autumn Festival – Thanks to SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust

One of the most popular children’s performers in New Zealand is appearing at this year’s Arrowtown Autumn Festival, thanks to the generosity of the SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust.

Magician, ventriloquist and comic ‘Elgregoe’ will lead the ‘Elgregoe Fun Day’ on Saturday April 28 at Arrowtown’s Buckingham Green, complete with live parrots and puppets.

The funding grant from SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust will also support a performance at Arrowtown School the previous day. The school show, ‘You’ve got the Power’ has a strong anti-bullying message, told via magic tricks, fun and laughter.

Seen by over 700,000 children, ‘Elgregoe’ received the NZ Order of Merit for services to education in 2009 and The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Top Children's Entertainer Award.

Arrowtown Autumn Festival organiser Deborah Husheer said she was hugely grateful for the ongoing support of SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust.

“They’ve been very supportive of the festival over the last six years,” she said.

“What’s so wonderful is that yet again we have a grant for something so popular with the kids in the community, and so empowering.”

She said the Saturday show on Buckingham Green would be simply all about fun.

“There’ll be magic, ventriloquism and audience participation. I know Elgregoe has puppets and live parrots. And there’ll even be an opportunity after the show to meet him personally and maybe learn a few magic tricks or two,” she said.

SKYCITY Queenstown General Manager Michelle Baillie said she was thrilled not only to support the fun day at the festival, but also believed the school show was an extremely worthy cause.

“Arrowtown Autumn Festival is an iconic local event and we’re very proud to be able to support the event again this year.

“We’re also pleased to be able to support the show at Arrowtown School. Bullying is a serious topic but it’s great to be able to see it presented in a fun and meaningful way through Elgregoe’s magic shows.”

Over the last nine years the SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust has allocated close to a million dollars to more than 280 community groups. Trust Chairman Clark Pirie said he was impressed by the diversity of wonderful organisations working for the good of the community across the Queenstown-Lakes District.

“We’re proud to be able to support a number of festivals across the region,” he said. “These festivals are an important part of community connectedness and we are particularly pleased to help the Arrowtown Autumn Festival.”

This will be the 28th year for the Arrowtown Autumn Festival, which runs for ten days from April 20 to 29, featuring over 50 events.

Families are encouraged to arrive early and get a good seat (so they don’t miss a trick) on Saturday April 28 as the Elgregoe Funday Show is first up at 10.30am.

As Elgregoe himself says, “A day without fun is a day wasted”.

The SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust made a grant of $2,600 for the Elgregoe performances.

For more information see www.arrowtownautumnfestival.org.nz

The SKYCITY Queenstown Casino Community Trust will be accepting applications for the 2012 funding round from Friday 1 June until Friday 27 July. More information can be found at www.skycityqueenstown.co.nz.

ENDS

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