Lots happening at the fourth festival during Labour weekend

Robbie will be taking part in the Scruffs Dog Show.

The fourth Paekakariki Pride Festival, which takes place over Labour weekend, has gone to the dogs.

With a combined picnic and Scruffs Dog Show on the Sunday, prizes will be on offer for best-dressed, most butch, best handbag dog, lookey-likey, worst behaved and a range of other surprise categories.

"Last year we catered for the kids of the village with a disco and this year we thought we'd open it up for the fur kids," dog show co-ordinator and festival committee member Pat McIntosh said.

Inspired by the number of dogs who join their people in the parade each year, Pat ran with the idea of a village dog show to be held in conjunction with a picnic.

"It's caused a bit of controversy.

"Some people felt quite strongly that they couldn't possibly dress their dogs in the same outfit twice in one weekend, so we're encouraging them to either find new outfits or chuck on the same one and teach their dog a new trick or two."

There'll be the usual staples of the World's [unofficial] Shortest Pride Parade, the dance party and the quiz as well as two new free events.

The Village Rainbow Beautification Project invites village people in Paekākāriki, and beyond, to decorate their properties, fences, letterboxes, gardens and businesses with rainbow creations for the month of October.

The purpose of this is for Paekakariki to show its support for Rainbow community members and to highlight the importance of a society that is diverse and inclusive.

Already, several village dwellers have painted birdbaths, hung rainbow bunting and chalked creative designs on their driveways.

"The rainbow is a powerful symbol of hope, inclusion and pride for those of us from the LGBTQIA+ communities," said Val Little, one of the festival organisers.

"We seek out these images and symbols and when we see them we know we're welcome and safe.

"We love the way Paekākāriki gets behind this festival – everyone from kids and grandparents, schools, businesses and households show their love and support for the Rainbow communities.

"One of the major goals of the festival is to showcase the intersection between the Rainbow communities and the village to show the rest of the country, and the world, how inclusion looks."

In keeping with the 2020 theme of mask wearing, the dance this year is aptly named a 'Mask-erade Party'.

Partygoers can either wear mouth masks or fancy eye masks – a tip to the whole concept of 2020 being about vision – or both.

Festival organisers don't want to make light of the devastating effects Covid-19 has had on so many families and lives but rather to celebrate that with good health practices and by working together New Zealand has managed to keep its team of five million mostly unified and now able to enjoy connecting with one another.

Proceeds from this year's festival are being donated to queer youth support groups in the Kāpiti area.

For further information and updates check out the Facebook page - Rainbow in the Village – Paekakariki Pride Festival 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/PaekakarikiPride/