Fedoras and feathers flying in Albert Park Hastings for Art Deco Festival
With the annual Art Deco Festival days away from commencing, a number of new events at a new venue have been added to the calendar in Hastings, complementing the main activities happening in Napier.
The Art Deco Market and Fashion Flaunt, a staple of the festival, previously held in the Hastings City Mall has now moved and will take place in Albert Park on Thursday, February 18.
Running from 10am to 8pm, the market includes vendors selling their carefully collected new, vintage, and second-hand Art Deco clothing, accessories, and more.
There will be plenty on offer with music from the Lindisfarne Jazz Band, Deco Bay Brass, and the Twin City Stompers, as well as dancing displays by the Born to Move Deco Dancers. A Hastings Vintage Car Show & Shine will be on display down Heretaunga Street East featuring more than 20 of the best Vintage Cars in the Region. Food trucks will also add to the fun.
People will be able to show off their Art Deco best and compete for prizes and titles in the Fashion Flaunt, starting at 5.30pm. In addition to the Fashion Flaunt is the Hakui Hakoro Fashion Parade showcasing Toi Deco Maori traditional garments.
This year a vintage railcar shuttle will be running from Napier to Hastings. Leaving from the Napier Train Station, the 1938 railcar will run visitors to the Hastings Railway Station platform where they will have an hour to enjoy the entertainment and wares on offer at the market, before returning to Napier.
While there, visitors are encouraged to cast their eyes to the sky at 7pm to catch an impressive flyover by the New Zealand Warbirds – a first for Hastings as part of the Festival.
From 4pm, people can also pop down to the Common Room on Heretaunga St to sip on creative cocktails, listen to live jazz, and relax in the garden bar at the “Not So Common Deco” event.
Other popular Hastings hospitality venues are also getting in on the action – Fun Buns will be hosting a Cocktail High Tea, and at Sazio guests will be treated to a family-style Buenos Aires tango-themed meal at the Sazio Malevo Dinner.
On Saturday turn back your timepiece to an age of glitz, glamour, and exuberance at Three Wise Birds Garden Bar for their Speakeasy Event.
On Friday, February 19, a railcar shuttle is running from Napier to Hastings to join Hawke’s Bay historian and author Michael Fowler for a guided Art Deco Tour around the Hastings CBD.
People can also join one of his walking tours on Thursday, February 18 and Sunday, February 21 taking in some amazing Spanish Mission architecture, and also covering the story of the impact of the 1931 earthquake.
The Art Deco Festival Napier runs from February 17-21. To see the full programme of events and ticket purchases visit www.artdecofestival.co.nz
