Pasifika Festival returning to Western Springs

Tuvaluans (left to right) Asi Taliauli, Selai Vaito and Lesilina Aleluia, members of the Niutao community dance group, perform at the Pasifika festival. Photo / Martin Sykes

Auckland's Pasifika Festival is returning to Western Springs next year, after this year's event was moved to South Auckland for the first time.

The festival, which celebrated its 23rd birthday in March, was forced out of its usual venue due to restrictions placed in the Queensland fruit fly emergency in the area at the time.

The event was taken to Hayman Park, in Manukau, and proved to be hugely popular still - with many locals later gunning for the event to stay in South Auckland, where there is a large Pacific population.

Auckland Council has released a statement today saying the festival's return to Western Springs was based on feedback and recommendations made to the council's arts, culture and events committee, as well as the Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed) group.

"Our recommendation for the festival to return to Western Springs Park is based on feedback from the Pacific Island community via the Pacific People's Advisory Panel and the Pasifika Village Coordinators," Ateed communications manager Charmaine Ngarimu said.

The council said it will continue talks with Pacific community leaders, including the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board's chairman, Fa'anana Efeso Collins, who earlier this year rallied for the festival to remain in South Auckland.

"Obviously I would have liked to see Pasifika stay in the south," Mr Collins said.

"But now I'm focused on working with the Pacific Island community to have input into the direction of the festival and I look forward to being involved, on behalf of the community, in the long-term future of Pasifika.''