Due to celebrate its 30th anniversary at Western Springs from 18-20 March, Auckland’s Pasifika Festival has now been cancelled.
Following consultation with community partners, it was determined the festival could only be delivered at orange or green Covid-19 traffic settings.
Mayor Phil Goff says the cancellation would be disappointing for the Pasifika community and the tens of thousands of Aucklanders looking forward to attending the festival, but was the right call given the risks posed with Omicron spreading rapidly in the community.
“The Pasifika Festival is much loved by Aucklanders and an important celebration of our city’s vibrant and diverse cultures—the decision to cancel it would have been a tough one to make,” he says.
“However, we must put the safety of our communities first and given the uncertainty around the impact of the Covid-19 Omicron variant, a cautious approach is the right one.
“I look forward to when we can once again come together to enjoy the Pasifika Festival and all the fantastic music, dance, art, culture and cuisine that it offers.”
Auckland Unlimited Director of Arts, Entertainment and Events, Richard Clarke, said the organisers wanted to give themselves every opportunity to deliver the event.
“We remained hopeful that we would be able to deliver the event in person, especially given this year marks the festival’s 30th anniversary,” says Clarke.
“But while the full festival has been cancelled, the desire from the community for Pasifika to go ahead in some form and subject to current restrictions is strong.
“Taking that feedback on board, we’re consulting with the Pasifika community advisors on developing a suite of hybrid Pasifika events to be held in May or June, alongside a substantial online programme, to ensure this special anniversary is celebrated,” he says.
