Mangawhai festival plan seeks community feedback

Change is inevitable. Though the Mangawhai Walking Weekend together with the Wine & Food Festival had become iconic over the past two decades, the retirement of some of the mainstays and volunteers had brought about a change of thinking as to the future format of the event.

The Mangawhai Walking Weekend Trust decided a break this year would be beneficial in exploring new initiatives for 2021 with the potential for a Mangawhai Festival, Mardi Gras or similar. To this end the Trust is calling a meeting of all interested parties, volunteers, businesses, sporting groups and residents at the Domain Hall on Monday March 30 to put forward suggestions and ideas for an event to include the wider community and wider participation.

”We envisage something such as a modified walking event including opportunities for music, drama, art, food and restaurant participation, and sporting and beach events run perhaps over a weekend or three days,” says Trust chairman Gordon Hosking. “Ideally we would like a person or group to take leadership but initially look forward to input from the wider community.”

This could be an opportunity for various groups to run certain activities within the festival. The time of the former Walking Weekend seems ideal as late March still generally delivers warm, pleasant weather on the cusp of daylight saving.

This is a good opportunity for new residents to take an active part in the growing community and share in the creation of an event with a truly Mangawhai flavour.