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A Unique New Festival Celebrating Eastern European Communities

Thursday, 28 August 2025, 7:35 am
Press Release: Slavfest

SlavFest 2025 is announcing its line-up of entertainment performances for its free all day (10-6.30pm) cultural festival of Slavic, Balkan and Eastern European cultures.

The SlavFest Education Charitable Trust was established to educate the public of Wellington and New Zealand about the cultures, languages, arts and traditions of the Slavic communities and unite our Slavic communities together through common history, geography and culture. This is especially important and relevant now, at a time of continuing strife in Europe. SlavFest will be peaceful and non-political.

At SlavFest 2025 we will celebrate the unique contributions to Aotearoa New Zealand made by Eastern European immigrants and the importance of a unified vision of peace and what joins us in common purpose, rather than what separates us.

Local Slavic and Eastern European bands

SlavFest 2025 on Saturday 6 September is headlined at 5.30pm by unique world / folk band ISH from Hawkes Bay. There will be six lively Wellington-based Slavic/eastern European bands, three cultural dance groups, and a world music choir. There will be a Mihi Whakatau welcome from local iwi representatives Taranaki Whānui to start the day at 10am.

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Wellington is blessed with numerous ethnic folk and cultural bands drawing their roots from Eastern Europe. Throughout the day festival attendees will be able to see theatre performances by the Klezmer Rebs, Mehana,

Balkany, Vox Ethnos, Krakerjack and the Cosmonauts. Local world music a cappella choir Wososi will also perform four part harmony songs from Czeck, Macedonia, Georgia and Ashkenazi/Yiddish cultures.

Cultural dance groups

Three cultural dance groups in full traditional dress will feature, including Ukrainian group Vinok (from Palmerston North), and local Bulgarian Horo and Polish groups Orleta and Orzel.

Workshops

SlavFest 2025 will feature cake making workshops for children, and percussion and dance workshops for adults, and eastern European Animation show, and even a sauerkraut making demonstration. There will be educational stalls with information and plenty of activities for kids.

Ethnic foods and artisan stalls

Delicious traditional Slavic foods including cakes, pierogi, food trucks and Eastern European beers will be on offer, along with interesting crafts and wares for sale.

Partnership with Newtown Festival

In a co-production arrangement, Newtown Festival will support the SlavFest Education Charitable Trust with traffic management, sustainability planning on recycling and low waste, technical expertise and training of SlavFest workers.

SlavFest 2025 is on Saturday 6 September, from 10 – 6.30pm, indoors at Te Whaea National School of Dance and Drama, 11 Hutchison Road, in Newtown.

The SlavFest Trust would like to thanks the Ministry of Ethnic Communities, Creative New Zealand and Wellington City Council for grants that make SlavFest viable as a free festival.

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