As adults we often don't give ourselves permission to play, women especially so.
Wow! Our third annual Winter Wonderfest began with a rockingly great start.
A full house packed out the club at the Whanganui RSA last Sunday to experience the best of bluegrass with the only all-female band of its kind in the country, Hot Diggity. With musicians coming together from Tangiwahine, Warkworth, Leigh, Auckland and New Plymouth, it's not often these ladies get to be in the same place at the same time. They were the perfect fit for our launch event with their sassy songs featuring some hard-hitting lyrics about women living in a man's world.
They did this all in vintage style, explaining the importance of female empowerment in their performances, and embracing their unique shapes and sizes with confidence. The audience loved them! There was plenty of chair-dancing, as well as some fantastic movers on the spacious dance floor, and a room full of toe-tapping and hand-clapping. Thanks to everyone who came along and enjoyed the best of bluegrass - you helped us raise more than $1300 to make positive change in the lives of local women.
There has been plenty on offer in the festival programme since Sunday last. Our creative play sessions and knit-ins provide wonderful opportunities to experiment with art and craft activities.
As adults we often don't give ourselves permission to play, women especially so. This Winter Wonderfest you can dabble in several creative activities, or simply enjoy soaking up the talents of other local artists and creators. The One Hit Wonder exhibition, a special feature of our festival programme, opened with an enthusiastic gallery of patrons and supporters at Space Studio and Gallery on Saturday night. It runs right through until September 1, and with its diverse array of participating artists, there's something to inspire or amuse everyone.
You can visit the gallery during weekdays, or save up your visit to the exhibition until Saturday night when our very special Night Market is on from 5.30pm until late in the studios upstairs. Gallery owner and curator Sarah Williams has gathered up a grand gaggle of stall-holders for your viewing enjoyment. The night markets bring people together, and as well as providing the space for us to support local creatives, they are free for all the family.
The first of three documentaries screened last Thursday with a showing of Go Against the Flow. This film features the failures and successes of women entrepreneurs and it certainly generated a spark or two amid a very attentive audience.
A facilitated discussion following the film was fascinating, and shows just how important it is for women to have safe spaces to share their experiences and to feel positively encouraged by the support of others. Tomorrow night The Goddess Project screens at 7.30pm, and this is extra special in that it is the New Zealand premiere screening. I am looking forward to this one! Special thanks to Helen Marie and the team at Confluence for helping to bring this film to the festival.
You also have the chance during the day tomorrow to meet with Jan Logie MP and hear about her Domestic Violence Victims Protection Bill, as well as hearing more about her experiences as a female politician in the 21st century, where women are still under-represented.
Another inspiring documentary screens on Friday night too, with Things We Don't Talk About: Women's Stories from the Red Tent.
If you would like to know more details about what is still on offer this Winter Wonderfest, you can pick up a programme from the Women's Network, Space Studio and Gallery, or the Royal Wanganui Opera House. Or, you can email me: womnet.wang@callplus.net.nz