Whanganui's Hinengaro festival combines music, sport and mental health awareness

Rhythm Vision is one of the local acts scheduled to play at the festival. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Music, sport and mental health are the focus of a new youth festival set for Majestic Square next week.

The Hinengaro Rangatahi Festival, organised by the Whanganui District Council Youth Committee, aims to improve the wellbeing of young people in the district.

Youth committee project support officer Nicole Grey said the festival includes a basketball competition, games and activities based around health and wellbeing, and performances by local bands.

This year the festival replaces Vibe, which was also organised by the committee and has been held in December at Cooks Gardens since 2017.

Grey said they were not in a position to go ahead with Vibe this year due to changes in staff and roles, and the committee not being able to have formal meetings during this year's election period.

"Vibe has a great reputation as a really large scale event so you don't want to attempt that and not be able to pull it off."

Mental health will be a significant aspect of the Hinengaro Rangatahi Festival, which steps up collaboration with local agencies working in the field.

"For this festival we wanted to make sure that there was something that young people could actually go away with," Grey said.

"Not just people promoting what they have in the way of support but actually for young people to engage and have some kind of experience during the festival as well."

Some of the organisations taking part in the festival include Ngā Tai O Te Awa, Whanganui District Health Board, Revolution Youth and 100% Sweet.

Grey said some of the organisations have done their own promotion for the event and seen interest.

"People are really positive about the idea and there are lots of creative ideas that may not be able to be pulled off this time, but people can understand the vision and space.

"The positive feedback is around offering something for everyone, so if you're not sporty or musical, making sure there's something for those young people to do as well.

"Everyone's on board with the mental health focus which shows how far we're starting to move in the right direction."

The Hinengaro Rangatahi Festival is a free event and takes place at Majestic Square from 4pm to 8pm on Friday, December 13.