Sun rises on Sky Tower for Matariki Festival
MEDIA ADVISORY
29 June 2018
From Saturday 30 June until Friday 20 July, the Sky Tower will be lit with an orange base, rising to a vibrant yellow at the top to depict a sunrise for Auckland’s Matariki Festival, celebrating Māori New Year and the rise of the Matariki constellation in the night sky.
At this time of year, the Matariki constellation rises in the north east of the sky, near where the sun also rises - which is the inspiration for this year’s lighting. The Sky Tower is one of several prominent landmarks across Tāmaki Makaurau lighting to celebrate the three-week-long festival.
The lighting of the Sky Tower is best viewed, photographed or filmed 30minutes after sunset which is at 5.00pm on Saturday June 30.
The Sky Tower is New Zealand’s tallest man-made structure and the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest free-standing structure. Based in the heart of Auckland, the Sky Tower is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable landmarks.
SKYCITY lights the Sky Tower for charities or community initiatives that we support financially, or to mark national holidays, milestones or other celebrations or events.
ENDS