KĀPITI UPDATE Easter excitement in Kāpiti Ōtaki Kite Festival

KĀPITI UPDATE
Events pull the crowds
Popular events bring visitors to the
areas hosting them and with that
comes economic benefit. This was
highlighted when the Royal Military
Edinburgh Tattoo was in Wellington
last month.
Wellington Regional Economic
Development Agency chief
executive, Chris Whelan, estimated
the event brought more than
$16 million into the region – that
rippled through to Kāpiti with
accommodation booked out and
shops reporting record sales from
the visitors staying here.
The Māoriland Film Festival and
the Ōtaki Kite Festival have been
identified by tourism experts as key
events drawing visitors into Kāpiti.
This aligns perfectly with Council’s
Economic Development Strategy
Visitor Attraction Plan. The plan
supports investment in growing
Kāpiti into a successful visitor
destination and maximising the
economic outcomes.
Mayor Ross Church says event
development has been identified
as a driver in achieving long term
economic development for Kāpiti.
“Events that are unique to the
district and enhance the reputation
of Kāpiti as a diverse, vibrant and
thriving district are important for us
to support,” he says.
Let’s take a look at some of these events . . .
Ōtaki Kite Festival
Environment and Community Development Committee chair and Ōtaki
ward councillor Penny Gaylor says she was delighted the event proved so
successful, with the total value added from the festival reaching more than
half a million dollars. “Aside from the community and social well-being
benefits events like this bring, there were a good number of visitors and
locals spending their money here instead of outside the district. Gold!”
Visitors to the festival brought:
• $1.148 million extra into our
economy
• 62% of the visitors were Kāpiti
residents who added a further
$165,668 added value into our
economy
A survey of visitors showed that:
• 97% rated the festival as excellent or good
• 38% were from outside the Kāpiti Coast District
• 89% purchased from the festival stalls
• 27% shopped in Ōtaki
• 5% stayed in motels, B&Bs or holiday homes
• 16% visited a playground
► Organisers of the Ōtaki Kite Festival received a $23,000 Council grant.
Easter excitement in Kāpiti
Easter will be an exciting time in Kāpiti with two major events taking place – Māoriland Film Festival and Coastella International Music Festival.
Māoriland Film Festival
Coastella
The 2016 Māoriland
Film Festival is being
held in historic and
unique venues around
Ōtaki, including the Civic
Theatre, Raukawa Marae
and the Ōtaki Māori
Racing Club.
Coastella is a new
international day-long music
festival being held in the
grounds of Southward Car
Museum on Saturday 26
March 2-10pm.
Now in its third year, the
international festival
celebrates indigenous
voices and storytelling
in film and has quickly
grown to become the
largest film festival of its
kind in the southern hemisphere.
The festival has 130 shorts, feature films
and documentaries from indigenous
people all over the world as well as
screenings for schools, filmmaking
workshops, panel discussions and the
E Tu Whānau Rangatahi filmmaking
competition.
One of the many highlights is the New
Zealand Film Festival premiere of Mahana,
the latest film from director (Once Were
Warriors) Lee Tamahori.
There will be two free outdoor screenings
at the Ōtaki Māori Racing Club – Born to
Dance on Thursday 24 March and Three
Wise Cousins on Sunday 27 March, both
starting at 8.30pm.
Thirteen acts on three stages
include Don McGlashan of
the Mutton Birds, Australian
music festival favourite
10-piece band Sex on Toast,
gypsy group the Balkanistas,
Irish singer Noelie McDonnell
and locals Crimson Club, Rhythm Plant and Ryan Edwards. The familyfriendly event also has lots of activities for children and festival goers
are warned that it may be impossible to sit still!
The event is organised by Kāpiti entrepreneur Paul Brown and Kiwi
musician Gerry Paul. They held a sold-out event at Tuatara Brewery
last year with Trinity Roots and discovered there was a large untapped
market for music events in Kāpiti. “With so much development in the
area and more and more young families moving here, we wanted to
showcase all the district has to offer including local food and drink,”
said Paul Brown.
► Organisers of the Māoriland Film Festival received a $32,000 Council grant towards the costs of the festival and
organisers of Coastella received a $10,000 Council grant. Both are considered significant
events that will bring economic benefits
to the district.
23 March 2016