World Fest in Te Puke a chance to celebrate cultural diversity

The Harmonic Resonators are coming to Te Puke's World Fest on November 21 .

Te Puke's cultural melting pot will be celebrated on November 21.

Building on the success of the Te Puke International Festival two years ago, the Made in Te Puke Trust has put together World Fest.

In 2018 there was talk of Tauranga's multicultural festival being held in Te Puke.

While that didn't happen, the seeds were sown and a group including Monique Lints, Dale Snell and Mike and Holly Douglas set about organising the International Festival.

''Karyl Gunn was really supportive as well,'' says Monique. ''People were like, you won't be able to run an event like that and to me and Dale that was kind of a challenge.

''We spoke to Mike and Holly who said 'let's just do it'. So we did it on zero budget, like we do, and we just pulled it off. It was pouring with rain, but we still got about 1500 people and we just had community groups and churches and heaps RSE worker groups and schools. It was a real good grassroots community event.''

A lack of time was a factor in there not being a follow up festival in 2019 and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council last year supported a multicultural festival in Katikati.

The council is assisting in some areas of World Fest, while the bulk of the funding for the festival is coming from the Creative Communities Scheme, ''which is awesome, we got a big grant that covers most of our costs''.

The festival has the theme Share your gifts with the world.

''Basically it's that whole connection and inclusion and celebrating what makes Te Puke a great place and when I say Te Puke I don't just meant Te Puke township I mean Te Puke in terms of this side of the district."

Travel restrictions mean there are more RSE workers and overseas travellers in the district, adding to the diversity.

''They are becoming an integrated part of our community and are also helping drive the economy,'' says Monique.

Various nations and cultures will be represented at World Fest including Tonga, China, India, Kiribati and Samoa.

''It's also really important for us to showcase what we have in terms of Māori culture,'' says Monique.

She says World Fest is an opportunity to see what other cultures have to offer and be proud of the cultural mix of the area.

Festival entry is free and there will be free activities.

''So it's not just a music festival, it's a chance to learn something and have something to treasure.''

Top of the musical bill will be The Harmonic Resonators, a group that performs popular songs in te reo Māori. The various cultural groups will perform up to 6pm when The Harmonic Resonators will take to the stage.