The annual Art Deco Festival launches next week, and this year some exciting new events at a new venue have been added to the calendar in Hastings on Thursday February the 18th, complementing the main activities happening in Napier.

The Art Deco Market and Fashion Flaunt, a staple of the festival, previously held in the Hastings City Mall has now moved and taking place in Albert Park new and an exciting location for 2021.

Running from 10am to 8pm, the market includes vendors selling their carefully collected new, vintage and second-hand Art Deco clothing, accessories and more.

Music from the Lindisfarne Jazz Band, Deco Bay Brass and the Twin City Stompers, dancing displays by the Born to Move Deco Dancers, a Hastings Vintage Car Show & Shine will be on display down Heretaunga Street East featuring 20+ of the best Vintage Cars in the Region, and food trucks will add to the fun. The Fashion Flaunt, starting at 5.30pm where people will be able to show off their Art Deco best and compete for prizes and titles such as Best Dressed Gent, Lady, Child, Couple and Group. In addition to the Fashion Flaunt is the electrifying Hakui Hakoro Fashion Parade showcasing Toi Deco Maori traditional garments.

This year a vintage railcar shuttle will be running from Napier to Hastings to add to the fun. Leaving from the Napier Train Station, the 1938 railcar will run visitors to the Hastings Railway Station platform where they will have an hour to enjoy the entertainment and wares on offer at the market, before returning to Napier.

While there, visitors are encouraged to cast their eyes to the sky at 7pm to catch an impressive flyover by the New Zealand Warbirds – a first for Hastings as part of the Festival.

From 4pm, people can also pop down to the Common Room on Heretaunga St to sip on creative cocktails, listen to live jazz and relax in the garden bar at the “Not So Common Deco” event.

Other popular Hastings hospitality venues are also getting in on the action – Fun Buns will be hosting a Cocktail High Tea, and at Sazio guests will be treated to a family-style Buenos Aires tango-themed meal at the Sazio Malevo Dinner, Lady Larissa and her incredible band and preforming for the official release of ‘Honeychild’ at the historic Opera House on Thursday. On Saturday turn back your time piece to an age of glitz, glamour and exuberance at Three Wise Birds Garden Bar for their Speakeasy Event – tickets for these events are available from www.artdecofestival.com.

On Friday, February 19, a railcar shuttle is running from Napier to Hastings to join Hawke’s Bay historian and author Michael Fowler for a guided Art Deco Tour around the Hastings CBD.

People can also join one of his walking tours on Thursday, February 19 and Sunday, February 21 taking in some amazing Spanish Mission architecture, and also covering the story of the impact of the 1931 earthquake.

The Art Deco Festival Napier runs from 17th- 21st February 2021. To see the full programme of events and ticket purchases visit www.artdecofestival.co.nz

© Scoop Media