Nelson Arts Festival

Nelson welcomes spring with an explosion of creativity! Twelve days of top national and international theatre, dance, cabaret, music and talks.

This year’s festival opens on October 17 with the Port Nelson Masked Parade. The parade features a number of attractions in the city centre, including food stalls, a ferris wheel and the French flavoured Pacifica dub band - The Mamaku Project.

The festival continues with an exhibition of contemporary art installations, and performances that include Joe Bennett’s circus comedy - The Butler, flamenco dance, some of New Zealand’s rising contemporary music stars and international shows including the physical comedy Tricicle from Spain.

Programme highlights include: Bare (a play written by Toa Fraser), a flamenco dance from Spain, Aussie comedy trio Tripod and the acclaimed play 'The Butler' written by Joe Bennett.

The Manifest Sculpture Exhibition is back, but rather than a symposium, invited artists are creating installations at Founders with interactive and site specific works, including ‘Beacon’- a commissioned work that will transform the lighthouse entrance.

The Woollaston Readers and Writers have an extensive programme of talks, mainly in the Festival Café that will run at the Granary, with highlights including novelist Emily Perkins and art critic Hamish Keith. Great entertainment over Labour Weekend in heritage venues.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.nelsonartsfestival.co.nz