Newtown Festival: 80,000 people expected in Wellington

The free event grew from small beginnings in 1995 with the opening of a neighbourhood park.

By RNZ

Today will be the 30th outing for one of New Zealand’s biggest street fairs and free music festivals.

Newtown Festival associate director Anna Kemble Welch said the free event grew from small beginnings in 1995 with the opening of a neighbourhood park.

It is now the biggest free musical festival and street fair in Aotearoa, with 16 outdoor stages and more than 1000 performers.

Tens of thousands of people from around the region were expected to attend this year’s event, she said.

“People just come in from all over because of the performances that we have going. We end up with a wonderful crowd of people - about 80,000 during the course of the day.

“It’s good when it’s not too crowded but there’s always parts of the event that you can go to where there is more space. There’s variety throughout and all different themed areas and zones.”

One of the regular features is a demonstration from Fire and Emergency (Fenz) firefighters showing the public what not to do in the event of a grease fire.

The “burning kitchen” demo - in which a frying pan catches fire every hour - is a festival highlight, Kemble Welch said.

“You’ve got flames everywhere - and then they show what happens when you pour water on that...

“It actually explodes - this big whoomph explosion - and flames go everywhere. And then of course they put it out again. They’re just showing you how not to put out a fire in a kitchen.”

- RNZ