La Fiesta going ahead under red light settings
By Carla Donson
It's been quite a couple of weeks since my last column, what with a 'traffic light change' and all. The Covid-19 rollercoaster continues. We are back in red to help stop the spread and that means uncertainty for many.
As we take time to prepare for an Omicron outbreak it often raises more questions than answers about what life might look like, especially in communities like ours where we haven't really been touched by the full impact of Covid in the two years since the pandemic broke. Few of us have experienced infection, or a real sense of understanding its potential to change the course of our lives.
I have dear friends overseas who have had Covid more than once, and despite access to vaccinations and medical care, their lives have been changed irrevocably, with long Covid a reality that they will have to live with forever. And, while we can all agree to disagree with our views on politics, Kiwis at large have been pretty well protected from the health impacts of a widespread outbreak thus far. The days ahead will indeed be interesting ones.
I extend my warmest wishes to everyone working in the events management space for all that you do behind the scenes to bring a dynamic array of activities and attractions to life for us all to enjoy, especially during summer – many of which have now been rescheduled or cancelled, again.
We all know how fortunate we have been here in New Zealand to be able to attend concerts, festivals, sports events and community activities over the last year. Restrictions continue to profoundly impact those within our creative and cultural sectors with the limits on events and gatherings under the Covid Protection Framework. As events are erased, livelihoods, morale and a growing sense of uncertainty take centre stage, even though we know it's the right thing to do.
With continued efforts, here's hoping we can maintain our position, doing our bit with our mask-wearing, scanning and sanitising, and whatever else we can to be prepared for all possible outcomes.
As the founder and co-ordinator of NZ's best [and only] women's fest, La Fiesta, I appreciate just much administration and organisation goes on behind the scenes to make events happen. While La Fiesta comes together as a month-long festival each February and March, it is the culmination of work that begins the previous June marketing the event and inviting participation from festival partners the country over. Locals love it too!
Over the course of its first 12 years, La Fiesta has attracted participation from more than 25,000 people, including international visitors travelling to New Zealand specifically for the festival in pre-Covid times. With events requiring a vaccine pass to run at all during red or orange settings, this has impacted some of our festival partnerships.
I look forward to their return in future festivals when life may be a little like 'normal' again.
Festival number 13 is our second-largest ever, with around 95 events listed, and almost 60 different festival partners. As I chatted with people during the co-ordination phase, many expressed their desire to ensure that the show could go on where the restrictions allowed. A chance to get in behind a grassroots event that enables a whole host of diverse people to showcase what they do.
La Fiesta is designed to run at red or orange settings, with the potential for some events to change depending on what unfolds. I'll continue monitoring the situation locally and be responsive to any changes required because you matter. Without you, there can be no future events to enjoy.
Thank you to everyone who is running or partnering in a festival event, providing a venue, sponsoring or supporting it in some way. Special thanks to our media partners for devoting time and newspaper space to La Fiesta, you are such an important part of our community connection. After all, it is the community that enables La Fiesta to come alive.
Festival guides and posters are in circulation now if you want to get your hands on a hard copy. Otherwise, you can download a festival guide from the official website: https://lafiestanz.com or via our La Fiesta NZ Facebook page, as well as our Women's Network Whanganui Facebook and Instagram pages.
Feel free to drop me a line if you'd like to know more about events in the festival: womnet.whanganui@gmail.com