Newtown Festival 2004

Newtown Festival 2004 South Stage

Music is a key element of the Newtown Festival. The performers on the South Stage are well known within music circles and have links to the Newtown Community

Performers on the South Stage include

Twin Set -

Wellington Heads - make music stretching from 1920's jazz spicedwith New Orleans Gumbo through to blue tinged originals. Combined with contempoary influences, and blended with pacific flavours they produce music that is relaxed, yet fresh and innovative.

Modern Afro-Beat Quintet -

Sam Manzanza Band - is an accomplished singer, dancer, and plays guitar, drum kit, congas, and harmonica. He brings his brand of original music which uses native rhythms and melodies like the Zairean rumba, American rock-and-roll and Caribbean reggae

Idiomatic -

For information about the 2004 Newtown Festival see http://www.newtownfestival.org.nz

Newtown Festival 2004 Community Stage

A high point of the 10 day Newtown Festival that starts on 6 March 2004 is the fair day that is held on Sunday 7 March starting at 11am

During the fair day there are three stages being used featuring local bands and groups. On the Newtown New World Community Stage the programme is very varied. Fair day commences with the Powhiri that will be presented by Ngati Kotahitanga Whanau of Newtown School. Ngati Kotahitanga is the full maori immersion classes of children aged 5 to 12. They will be supported by children from the school's bi-lingual unit.

The Hon Annette King, the Member of Parliament for Rongotai will officially open the fair day.

With the formalities completed, the show gets under way.

Performers on the Community Stage include

Dream Makers - this is Newtown School's Band. - The band include both past and present pupils singing a wide variety of songs.

Newtown Salvation Army Band - a truly local band from the Wellington South Citadel in Constable Street

Wai Maori - a group that meets at Newtown School bringing people together for aerobics and other exercises in a Maori context

Line Dancing - Applejack Country Linedancing goup

Traffic Safety Theatre - "Don’t Get Bowled" A unique piece of out door street theatre highlighting the key issues of pedestrian safety in Wellington. The story line will be a mix of humour and hard-hitting messages.

Djembe Drumming - a drumming style fromWest Africa

Migrant and Refugee Groups - a kaleidoscope of costume, music and dancing from many of Newtown's ethnic communities

Newtown Festival 2004
Supporters

The 8th Newtown Festival to be held 6 to 14 March 2004 would not be possible without the support of the Newtown and wider Wellington Communities

The Organising Committee wishes to acknowledge and thank a number of individuals, businesses and funders.

Funders

Wellington City Council

Community Trust of Wellington

New Zealand Community Trust

The Southern Trust

Lion Foundation

Trust House Charitable Trust

Businesses

Newtown New World

Newtown Image Company

Peter Frater Ltd

TEL Portfolio

Red Design Architects

Accent Entertainment

List Online Ltd

Capital Productions

Individuals or Community Groups

Vincents Art Workshop

Mary Patterson & Judy Booth of the Newtown Community and Cultural Centre

Amanda Golding of the Newtown Library

Silvia Zonoobi (ONZM)

Rotary Club of Wellington South

Ron Walton

Students from Toi Whakaari : NZ Drama School

Windymedia

Michael Watson, Pepe Robinson and members of the Berhampore Poetry Group

In addition to these formal supporters, the Organisers wish to acknowledge the support of "Amadeus Hair and Sound Studio" and "Planet Spice"

Gary Baker of Newtown New World has strongly supported past Festivals and continues to give his support this year through sponsoring the Community Stage on Festival Day and the readings by students from Toi Whakaari : NZ Drama School at the Newtown Library. This support by a local business is a key to the success of the event. We hope that members of wider Wellington will support our Festival Supporters.

Newtown Festival 2004

The organisers of the 2004 Newtown Festival are amazed at the depth of talent held within the Newtown community. As well as the musical talents that will be on show on the Festival Fair Day there are many other groups that are contributing to the life of the vibrant suburb of Newtown.

These Talents will be available for all to see.

Vincent's Art Workshop is an arts and craft workshop committed to an accessible, safe, sharing and supportive environment. Vincents responds to the needs of participants in the interest of a healthy Community. While based in Wellington City, many of its members are local Newtown folk. Vincents' will install various artworks at the Playground on the corner of Constable and Riddiford Streets during the festival

Paul Forrest is Newtown's 'Artist in Residence' His studio upstairs at 146 Riddiford Street , Newtown ( next door to Aladdin's Cave ) will be open for viewing from 10am - 5pm. Well known for his paintings and a couple of years ago as setting up his studio in the Michael Fowler Centre during the Fringe Festival.

Library Story Telling - During the week, classes from all the local schools visit the Newtown Library. Students from Toi Whakaari – New Zealand Drama School participate strongly in the Festival. During the week they read and act various stories to the school children. This event is sponsored by Gary Baker, Newtown New World

Multi-cultural Community - Newtown is well known for the many cultures that live and meet within the suburb. The Festival provides the opportunity to showcase this unique diversity in a way that only Newtown can. There are at least two events that will be hosted at the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre. Organised by Sylvia Zonoobi, these are very popular performances by the members of our ethnic communities.

Circumbendibus - is defined as a roundabout or indirect way, but for Newtown Circumbendibus is a performance by women from the Circus School right here in Newtown. Based at Circus House, 15 Newtown Ave, Newtown the show includes the skills of entertainment that might be found at any of the larger circuses

Poetry Group - based at Berhampore an enthusiastic and talented group of poets meet to compose, refine and perform. This group shares its creations with the community at a performance in the Newtown Community and Cultural Centre

WindyMedia - is a group of film buffs who meet regularly on the Community Centre to show films of a broad spectrum. Windy Media will show a film during the Destival

Newtown Festival 2004
Gay and Lesbian Fair

A regular event in Newtown over the last few years has been the Annual Gay and Lesbian Fair.

To be held on Saturday 13 March 2004, this is the 19th Gay and Lesbian Fair.

Browse through more than 50 stalls and experience some of the talent within the community. The Fair will be held rain or shine from 9am to 4pm at the Newtown School grounds on the second Saturday of the festival.

Newtown Festival 2004

Newtown has many facilities in the suburb that are of a regional or even national significance. These include the Wellington Zoo, Newtown Park, and other sporting venues. With such facilities, there are a number of other events that are happening in the Newtown Community during the Festival.

Some of the key events are

Wellington Zoo - The zoo has a couple of events going during festival week

Wild Encounters with Gerry and a select band of Wellington Zoo residents The freshly decorated Historic Elephant House is the place to be on Saturday 13th of March at 6.00pm for a close-up encounter with some of the animals at Wellington Zoo.

Treat yourself to a Wild Summer Nights, on both Saturday from 6th March 2004 and 13th March 2004 when the Zoo is open until 8.00pm.

Newtown Park - 15th National Track and Field Competition - The New Zealand National Championships of Track and Field Athletics competion start on the Friday 12 March and continue through to the Sunday afternoon. Whether your interests are in the sprints, or longer distances, jumping or throwing things, its all there.

"Culture Jam" is a diverse showcase of Wellington's youth talent - from hip hop to Bollywood, classical, DJs, street theatre and beyond. It's by youth, for youth and will be held on Friday 12 March in the Newtown School Grounds 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

19th Gay and Lesbian Fair 9am - 4pm Newtown School Grounds. An annual community event for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people and their friends. With stalls, entertainment and compare extraordinaire Polyfilla

Newtown Festival 2004

A quiet day in Newtown is not to be had on Sunday 7 March 2004.

The Newtown Festival fair day will see a vibrant commercial area turned into a lively, chaotic, place of entertainment, business and community get together.

There will be on Riddiford Street over 110 market stalls, three music stages, a childrens' amusement area, food dstalls as well as main street businesses. The market stalls cover all types of merchandise from books to clothing to ornamental art.

The day starts with a powhiri at 11 am and this sets the theme of a day of community involvement that will be on show on the three stages.

The presenters on the northern and southern stages are the professional musicians and bands with strong Newtown connections. The centre stage features local community groups.

Music Programme:

Main Stage (North Stage)

10:30 am Holly Smith

10:45 Nick Gaffaney Trio

12.00pm The Phoenix Foundation

1:30 pm OdESSA

2:45 pm Jackie Tarr

3.45 pm Mr Fungus

4:15 pm GND

Second Stage (South Stage)

10:30 am Twin Set

12:00 pm Wellington Heads

1:30 pm Modern Afro-Beat Quintet

3:00 pm Sam Manzanza Band

4:00 pm Idiomatic

Newtown New World Community Stage

Newtown Festival 2004 North Stage

Music is a key element of the Newtown Festival. The performers on the North Stage are well known within music circles and have links to the Newtown Community

Performers on the North Stage include

Holly Smith - singer song writer performing her own works

Nick Gaffaney Trio - Rhythm and Blues and jazz

The Phoenix Foundation - was formed in 1997 and now comprises Sam Scott (guitars, vocals), Luke Buda (guitars, vocals), Warner Emery on bass guitar, Richie Singleton on drums and Will Ricketts on percussion The Foundation has recorded and produced a video for the track "Let Me Die a Woman".

OdESSA - bringing a sound of funk and soul. Drawing influence from a multitude of genres, this foursome deliver a fresh spontaneous sound. Three out of the four are graduates of the Wellington Conservatorium of Music. The resulting level of musicianship provides a professionalism that allows OdESSA to jump from sensual, edible song structures to exciting and unpredictable performances. Members are : Matthew Pender, Matt (Puba) Swain, Matthew Armitage and Paul Mouncey

Jackie Tarr - a unique celtic style

Mr Fungus - Described as "NZ's loudest mime", Mr Fungus performs a great visual and verbal comedy show with juggling and mobile entertainment.

GND - is a Wellington based Hip Hop group that maintains a high energy routine, which is an integral part of their performance. GND began in late 1999 as a three-piece group and have restructured over the years to include female vocalist and rapper Kylie Gaudin (MC Kyla) and beat box Douglas Brunt (Dougie B). Now finalized as a crew of four, with Daniel Crozier (MC D-Man) and Nathan Greig (DJ Nafski). GND strive for interesting and ever changing arrangements in their music.

Newtown Festival 2004

In the mid 1970's a group of people associated with the Newtown Community and Cultural Centre gathered together to hold a community festival that would show-case Newtown to the rest of the world and particularly Wellington. These the earlier of the festivals of the mid 1980's were held for a couple of years and then went into recess although there were site specific events held at various locations.

In 1995 a community festival was held in Carrara Park, a former industrial site, to celebrate its opening as a public park facility. A second festival was held in 1996 and from this developed the idea of a street festival.

1997 saw the first Newtown Festival as a street festival involving the businesses, community groups and organisations coming together to present Newtown as a place to be, a place to live.

This year sees a 10 day festival involving many of the various cultures, ethnic groups, artists, musicians, and businesses gathering together to present a kaleidoscope of colour, language, sound, smells, and art.

7 March 2004 sees the 8th Newtown Festival officially launched with the fair day. This is the showcase of the festival.

From these small beginnings, the 2003 festival brought an estimated 30000 people onto the main street of Newtown for the day. The 2004 festival, now staged as a collaborative production by the Newtown Residents' Association, Newtown Community and Cultural Centre, The Rotary Club of Wellington South, Newtown Business Group and Newtown Library with support from the Wellington City Council and various funders will bring more people to participate and experience the Community of Newtown..

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