New Zealand’s largest cultural celebration the Auckland Pasifika Festival is back in 2023 and will feature two new events.
There’ll be more Pasifika than ever before with the inaugural Pasifika Village Games kicking off on 4 March followed by Sunday Soul Session on 12 March, before Pasifika Festival itself returns to Western Springs from 18-19 March.
The new events come as Pasifika Festival looks to build the celebration in the future, thanks to funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
The Pasifika Village Games follow on from the success of the movement-inspired Super Saturdays in 2022, but with a village twist. The multi-sport tournament will see social teams entered by village of origin competing in netball and touch rugby to bring home the win at Bruce Pulman Park.
Women’s and mixed social teams are welcome to enter the netball, along with men’s, women’s and mixed teams for the touch tournaments. Registration is $100 per team and is now open until 31 January 2023.
Then, it’s time to warm up Western Springs for the main event with the Pasifika Soul Sessions just one week before the Pasifika Festival. R&B, soul and more are on the menu with a stellar line-up of Pacific artists including Brotherhood Musiq and Adeaze.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s Head of Major Events, Chris Simpson, says the additional events are an exciting development for the festival. “After the success of Taste of Pasifika in 2022, we can’t wait to deliver the first full Pasifika Festival in three years at its home in Western Springs.”
The full programme for the Pasifika Festival will be released in February.
