City promises better shopping on BIG weekend

Media release big – 1
8 December 2008

Abandon The Malls
City promises better shopping on BIG weekend

If hanging out at the mall just doesn’t cut it anymore - Kiwis can now escape shopping centre chaos and enjoy celebrity gift wrapping, a Christmas cake bake-off and entertainment while doing their Christmas shopping.

The ‘Big Little City’ has a boomer of a weekend planned in downtown Auckland for December 13 and 14.

Labelled the BIG weekend, these two days look set to be two of the biggest on the 2008 shopping calendar, so Auckland City Council and business lobby group Heart of the City are making them as interesting and entertaining for Christmas shoppers as possible.

Aucklanders are encouraged to take another look at the CBD now the Queen Street renovations have been completed and the decorations are all up.

Heart of the City CEO Alex Swney says it’s time to kill off the mall rat, get shopping outdoors, and take a break at some of the nation’s best cafes and restaurants.

“Auckland is turning the Christmas shopping trip into a festive experience. Shopping malls are places for temper tantrums and car park dodgems. We want people to have a great time when they do their Christmas shopping.”

Auckland City has gone all out this year with a huge variety of summer Christmas decorations gracing the streets and a Christmas tree in the rigging of KZ-1 in the Viaduct. There’s new lighting on Queen Street’s Nikau Palms and wreaths, spirals, and banners across the main street, and parking at a selection of council car parks is free.

“Auckland city is packed with restaurants, bars and a plethora of wonderful shops. It’s simply replete with variety - this is the real life place to do your Christmas shopping,” says Swney.

Some of the great things happening in Auckland this festive season are:
• Two hours free parking Victoria Street, Fanshawe Street and K Road Council carparks.
• Get your gifts wrapped outside Westfield Downtown for a gold coin donation, with proceeds going to the city-focused charity Auckland City Mission.
• The best Christmas cakes Auckland hotel chefs can bake are on display at CityLife hotel in Queen Street where citizens can vote for the best and can bid for them at auction with all proceeds going to the City Mission.
• Continuous performances on stage in Freyberg Square off High Street and on street corners around Queen Street.

More information on the BIG weekend can be found at www.biglittlecity.co.nz

ENDS

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