15 February 2016

Pimp your ride – Lantern Festival style

People travelling to the 2016 Auckland Lantern Festival by bicycle have the chance to shine and win prizes, at the Auckland Domain from February 18 – 21.

Festival-goers cycling to the festival’s new Auckland Domain location can take advantage of an Auckland Transport bike parking valet station at the heart of the Lantern Festival and be in to win prizes for the best lit bikes.

Organisers hope the all the festively decorated and lit-up bikes in the secure parking station will form an attraction for festival-goers in itself.

The initiative is the result of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development’s (ATEED) partnership with the Health Promotion Agency and festival organisers working closely with Auckland Transport.

ATEED General Manager Destination, Vivien Bridgwater says cycling festival-goers will enjoy a temporary shared road, letting them get closer and park closer to the festival action than any other mode of transport bar walking.

“We have had approaches from Auckland’s biking community over the past few years to find a way to include cycling in the festival programme, and we have been working with Auckland Transport and the Health Promotion Agency on ideas which we can now put into place at the event’s new, larger venue of the Auckland Domain,” says Vivien Bridgewater.

Kathryn King, Auckland Transport’s Cycling and Walking manager, says it’s an opportunity to take an active part in the festival while benefiting from VIP parking right at the right beside the lanterns and stalls.

“We want to encourage people to leave their cars at home and try cycling to the festival. You won’t have to worry about car parking and it’s a fun thing to do with the family,” she says.

Temporary chalk stencilling on the road will indicate the shared zone, which is Football Road.

The valet bike parking is secure and offers cyclists the option of having their bike serviced, free of charge, by an experienced Auckland Transport bike mechanic.

For other ways of travelling to the Auckland Lantern Festival, both Grafton Station on the Western Line and Newmarket Station on all other lines are a short walk away from the festival site within the Auckland Domain. Additional services will be operating on Thursday and Sunday nights to cater to Lantern Festival crowds.

The Inner Link bus service goes to the Domain, with the most convenient festival stops either Hospital or Museum.

All bus and train timetables are available on Auckland Transport’s website at.govt.nz, or via the AT mobile apps for iPhone or Android.

Accessibility parking & drop off is available in Cenotaph Rd.

The Auckland Lantern Festival is presented by ATEED in partnership with Asia New Zealand Foundation, with the support of ASB, Chinese Ministry of Culture, Lotto New Zealand, Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Air New Zealand, Barfoot & Thompson, COSCO (New Zealand) Ltd, China Travel Service, iHeartRadio, Chinese Herald, stuff.co.nz, NTEC Tertiary Group, The Better Drinks Company, The Hits, Love NZ and the Public Place Recycling Scheme, Auckland Transport, SkyCity.

Ends

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