Editorial: A party to put all else in the shade

You hear some interesting comments about Art Deco in Hawke's Bay.

"Deco's had its day" or "they think we're living in a museum" are a couple of the not-so-positive sentiments.

I've never been absolutely sure who "they" are but such criticism usually seems to be levelled at the Napier City Council for its wholehearted backing of local heritage and the Art Deco Trust.

One thing the 2012 Geon Art Deco Weekend proved, however, was that Deco has far from had its day.

On the contrary, the festival appears to be going from strength to strength with numbers attending bigger than ever, new events adding to the weekend calendar and Napier packed to the gunnels with people celebrating.

Even the most curmudgeonly of citizens would be forced to grunt an acknowledgement that the weekend was quite the party.

As our page four story today demonstrates, devotees of Deco and lovers of good old-fashion fun, head to Hawke's Bay from around the world.

There is no other event in Hawke's Bay to touch Art Deco Weekend. This Saturday's Mission Concert comes close but it is nowhere near as inclusive as the Deco festival which sprawls across four days and offers ample opportunity for participation at little or no cost.

Perhaps the recent recessionary times have made a dress-up party such as Deco Weekend all the more appealing. Whatever the reason, I was out and about after dark at last year's festival and the atmosphere in Napier was sensational. Yet I am reliably informed that this year the streets were even busier with people partying into the night.

My favourite sight of the weekend was the peerless Air Force Red Checkers and their aerobatics in a perfect blue sky.

Yesterday I spoke with two groups of Hawke's Bay residents who had in the past been "so-so" when it came to the Art Deco festival but who became complete converts at the weekend. That is the sort of local comment worth hearing.