The Nelson Arts Festival draws to a close

The Nelson Arts Festival draws to a close on Labour Day after 17 days of music, theatre, talks and exhibitions.

Nelson City Council Festival Director Sophie Kelly says the longer than usual festival has been a big success, with at least one sell-out show every night there were events programmed.

“Having the festival spread out more with shows clustered towards the end of the week has worked really well, with a lot ofpeople commenting that they like having a couple of quiet nights to rest up,” she said.

A real highlight of the festival has been the Piki Mai sound and light installation on the Church Steps and Cathedraltower that is drawing crowds of up to 400 each night as the word spreads. It runs until Monday night.

There is plenty still to come with shows over the weekend at the Festival Tent at Founders Heritage Park, morefree early evening music at the Granary Festival Café, Irish singer Pauline Scanlon on Sunday starting at 6.30pm, so people can be home or at The Fanzone to watch the rugby final, and the Bluebridge Family Finale at Founders from 1-5pm.

“This is the last of our big free family events, there will be music, rides, delicious food, Uke ‘n’ Sing with Nelson’s own World Ukulele Orchestra and special guests Newtown Rock Steady with their Jamaican dub reggae sound,” Sophie said.

The Oi You! Urban Art Exhibition is another huge success, drawing visitors from around the country and even further afield. It closes with an auction on Monday night where the 34 works by the finalists of the Urban Art Competition will go under the hammer, with Geoff Rackley conducting the auction at the Energy Centre, start time from 5.00 to 5.30pm, depending on when the Bluebridge Family Finale winds up.

“I’d like to thank our festival supporters, we try to make the programme appeal to a wide range of people,” she says. “I think we are hitting the mark - there has been a great response this year to our ticketed shows and to the free community events that mark the Nelson Arts Festival out as different from other regional festivals.”

The Nelson City Council presents the Nelson Arts Festival annually as a celebration of the arts for locals and an addedattraction for visitors.

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