Steam trains line up for Winter Art Deco and school holidays experience

February's Art Deco Festival attracted almost 23,000 unique attendees, and as many as 2000 seats were booked on the trains, which will return for Winter Art Deco on July 17-19. Photo / Art Deco Trust

Steam trains will become part of a Winter Art Deco and school holidays experience for the first time in July.

Kāpiti Coast-based Steam Incorporated, buoyed by the success of its Napier Art Deco Festival ventures three months ago, has revealed it will be back for the mid-year version on July 17-19.

It starts with an excursion from Paekākāriki on the opening day, includes seven daytime and evening excursions out of Napier over the three days, and returns to Paekākāriki the day afterwards.

The trips out of Napier are to Waipukurau and Woodville, and shuttles to Hastings.

Two trips to Waipukurau will be staged in conjunction with the town’s Civic Theatre movie-night showings of Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

The excursions will be linked with fundraising for Cancer Society Hawke’s Bay.

Steam Incorporated’s Tommy Secker said the new winter programme represented an exciting extension of its Art Deco involvement.

“This is about creating something truly special for winter — combining iconic rail travel, the unique atmosphere of Art Deco, and meaningful community impact through our partnership with the Cancer Society.”

The programme also aimed to boost regional tourism during the quieter winter season, encouraging visitors to explore Napier and the wider Hawke’s Bay while enjoying a range of “curated rail experiences”.

Meanwhile, a report prepared for the Art Deco Trust says festival events in February attracted 22,969 unique attendees, including 6943 visitors from outside Hawke’s Bay and overseas, generating a net economic benefit of $3.61 million to the region and $5.87m to New Zealand.

It says visitor attendance driven by the festival resulted in 18,131 visitor-nights across the region and $3.62m in visitor spending.

Trust chairwoman Barbara Arnott said the findings highlighted the festival’s importance not only as a cultural event, but as a driver of regional wellbeing and economic resilience.

“These results are outstanding and affirm what we experience anecdotally every year — that Art Deco Festival Napier is a cornerstone event for Hawke’s Bay.

“A net benefit of $3.61m to the region, alongside remarkable visitor satisfaction and pride outcomes, demonstrates the festival’s value well beyond the four days it runs.”

The report shows that, in addition to economic impact, 92% of attendees were satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 88% of Hawke’s Bay residents agreed or strongly agreed that hosting the festival increased their pride in the region. All-round, there was a “Net Promoter Score” of 76, well into the “amazing” range.

Heritage and general manager Jeremy Smith said the social results were just as meaningful as the economic ones.

“Art Deco Festival Napier is about celebration, connection, community and heritage, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see that reflected so strongly in the data.

“When nearly nine out of ten local residents say the festival increases their pride in Hawke’s Bay, that tells us we are creating something that truly belongs to this community.”

Mayor Richard McGrath said the festival continued to play a critical role in positioning Napier as a liveable city for locals and a destination for New Zealanders and overseas visitors.

“Major events like the Art Deco Festival Napier showcase the best of our region to the country and the world.”

The festival was supported by the Government’s Events Boost Fund, event partner the Napier City Council and other sponsors, businesses, volunteers and performers.

Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter, based in Art Deco capital Napier for the past 39 years of his 53 years in the news industry.