Auckland Pride Parade 2014

www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz Aroha mai, aroha atu. Feel the love at the Auckland Pride Parade! With over 40 entries expected, the Auckland Pride Parade will be the highlight of the 2014 Auckland Pride Festival celebrating the Rainbow Community in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand is a country of voyagers. We are the result of long journeys and brave decisions taken by our ancestors, our families, or even ourselves to cross the largest ocean in the world to reach its most distant islands. Māori, European, Asian and Pacific cultures are now coming together to form something new – old roots, fresh growth. New Zealanders are slowly plaiting our various cultures, histories and sexual identities together to make something stronger, something unique. By preserving the coloured threads, we create the pattern. By remembering our past, we weave our future. The theme for the Auckland Pride Parade 2014 is TIME. Our memories are filled with first peoples, gods, canoes and ships, art, dance and music. History is colour and sound. We’ve lived at the margins and we’ve come into the centre. We’ve had political struggles and legal victories. We mourn the people we have lost. We honour our forebears, but celebrate the living. Moving into twilight, the Auckland Pride Parade 2014 will happen at that magic hour when things change from light to night. It is a time to remember. It is a time to shine brightly! The Auckland Pride Parade route travels in a northerly direction up Ponsonby Road from Western Park to Three Lamps. Ponsonby Road will be closed to traffic from 4pm to 10pm. Parking restrictions apply on Ponsonby Road and adjoining roads. Getting to the Auckland Pride Parade shouldn’t be a drag. Leave your car at home and catch public transport. All bus services will be operating to a normal Saturday service. Minor route changes are in place. The Inner Link will be operating via Wellington and Pitt Streets. For more information check www.maxx.co.nz. For any Lost & Found items, including children, please speak with one of our Pride Parade Crew, or visit the Lost Kids marquee next to the GABA GlamZone in Western Park. Should you require medical assistance, representatives from St John Ambulance will be located at the beginning, middle and end of the Parade route. In the event of an emergency, please notify the nearest Pride Parade Crew member, or a uniformed security guard, who will have direct access to the Parade Operational HQ. Otherwise, call 111 and help will be dispatched immediately. The current liquor ban on Ponsonby Road will be enforced. If you fancy a wee tipple, we suggest that you visit one of the many fabulous bars and restaurants along Ponsonby Road – then join us at Victoria Park Market for the massive PROUD party, commencing immediately after the Auckland Pride Parade. All walkers and vehicles wishing to participate in the Auckland Pride Parade must register. Registrations close on Friday 31 January. Late registrations will not be accepted. Visit www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz for information on how to register. When Saturday 22 February, 7pm (no rain date) Where Ponsonby Road Tickets Free www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz www.facebook.com/AkldPrideFest GABA GlamZone – Uenuku Motu A special Rainbow Island VIP area will be created for you to enjoy the sights and sounds of the 2014 Auckland Pride Parade in comfort. With vodka and candy floss, exclusive pre-show performances and celebrity MCs, the GABA GlamZone – Uenuku Motu, or Rainbow Island – takes over the premium viewing location at Western Park, guaranteeing ticket-holders the best seat in the house to watch the second Auckland Pride Parade! Hosted by the Gay Auckland Business Association, the GABA GlamZone will provide a party atmosphere in a beautiful setting with fine food, a professional bar and all the amenities you need for a fun and comfortable Parade experience. All-table, one-level seating means that everyone who visits the Rainbow Island is a VIP with unobstructed views, as well as access to reserved standing areas for those wanting to have a closer look from just behind the barriers. After a fantastic pre-Parade entertainment line-up, one of New Zealand’s best MCs will guide you through the floats and groups taking part in the Parade itself. Then stay on to enjoy the after-show party! When Saturday 22 February, 4pm-10pm Where Western Park, Ponsonby Road Tickets $85 for GABA members, $95 for non-members Book www.iticket.co.nz or 09 361 1000 www.gaba.org.nz