The inaugural Campbelltown Waitangi Festival on Saturday, February 6 will be a celebration of a major historic event of New Zealand, the Waitangi Treaty.
It will also be a tribute to the diversity of New Zealanders living locally in south west Sydney and across the whole of Australia.
The Campbelltown Waitangi Festival Committee, a subsidiary of Campbelltown IWI Festivals, which is proudly behind the Campbelltown Waitangi Festival, says everyone in the local community is welcome to attend the festivities at the Campbelltown
Showgrounds, the headquarters and home ground of the Campbelltown Harlequin Rugby Union Club.
There will be free entry to everyone.
“We want to ensure that the entire community can participate in this celebration and although it is centred around Waitangi Day the festival will embrace all cultures including the local Koori people,’’ the organisers said.
(For the benefit of non Kiwis, The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on February 6, 1840, in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The Treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire, guaranteed Māori rights to their land and gave Māori the rights of British subjects.)
Gates will open from 10.30am with a welcome and opening ceremony at 11am.
There will be a stack of food stalls including Hangi throughout the day from 11.30am.
There will also be arts and craft displays and stalls from 11am and a live mural artist throughout the day as well as a kids entertainment area.
As well as live Ta Moko artists there will be all day entertainment from 11.30am by haka groups Te Tira Haka O Iti Rearea and Te Toi O Ngā Rangi and X Factor finalist Angel Tairua.
Other acts include Sonny Tipene, Levy Fox (singer/songwriter), L & C Music, Idol finalist Sidney Maynard and Valma Tagaloa (singer/songwriter).
Also on the program are the popular Busk Kings, Priestessa, E’vana dance Company (Polynesian), Soul Benefits (Hip Hop) and many more.
For more information, including stall availability, go to the Facebook page of the festival.
