Sun rises on Sky Tower for Matariki Festival

MEDIA ADVISORY

17 June 2016

Sun rises on Sky Tower for Matariki Festival

This weekend, the Sky Tower will light as a sunrise for the opening weekend of Auckland’s Matariki Festival, celebrating Maori New Year and the rise of the Matariki constellation.

From tonight until Sunday night the Sky Tower will be lit with an amber base, rising to a dark orange top. At this time of year the Matariki constellation rises in the north east, near where the sun also rises which has been the inspiration for this year’s lighting.

The Sky Tower is one of more than 20 buildings and landmarks throughout Tāmaki Makaurau lighting to mark the start of the month-long festival.

The Sky Tower will also light this way for the final week of the festival, from 11 – 17 July.

The lighting of the Sky Tower is best viewed, photographed or filmed 30minutes after sunset which is at 5.11pm tonight.

The Sky Tower is the southern hemisphere’s tallest man-made structure based in the heart of Auckland, and 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

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