International Kai Festival ready to run on Waitangi Day

Posted by Nelson City Council on 20 January 2012

 Kai Fest will be held for the fourth year this Waitangi Day, Monday 6 February, with Founders Heritage Park and Whakatū Marae working closely together to present a range of traditional and international flavours cooked by the wider Nelson community.

There will be many great features at this year’s event including the two Pōwhiri at 11.00am and 1.00pm, where everyone visiting or living in Nelson is invited to a ceremonial welcome onto our local Marae.

A wide variety of international food made by families living in our Nelson communities will be on offer. All stalls will offer small portions of food priced at $2.50 or $5.00 to encourage visitors to try a wide range.

This year we have confirmed local performers at the two stages at Whakatū Marae and Founders Heritage Park, headlining Nelson’s own Kapa haka Group, Taiko Drummers, Alegria Beat and Tongan Song and Dance. Traditional arts and crafts will also be on display.

“Waitangi Day is a great opportunity to strengthen relationships between the Marae and Nelson City Council while delivering a positive community experience,” says Carol Hippolite of Whakatū Marae. “We see this annual event key to celebrating Nelson’s diversity and relevant to Waitangi Day, which to all stakeholders involved in presenting this event, is a celebration of relationship building.”

 “Sharing of food brings people together in cultures all around the world,” says Maria Anderson of Nelson City Council’s Founders Heritage Park. “Families who have a love for their traditional food have been invited to participate in this event, and based on stall registrations to date – it’s going to be a fun day. There are still stall sites available, at only $15 to book and we would love to welcome new families into the region to share their cultural food at this year’s event.” To book a site call Jahreece on 546 9097.

Entry to the event is a gold coin donation, at the windmill of Founders Heritage Park, or at the Marae in time for the Pōwhiri.

To encourage participation, Nelson City Council is organising a free looping bus service  to and from the event. The SBL bus service is available at all the main stops from Stoke to Founders Heritage Park between 10am and 4pm on Waitangi Day. The bus route/timetable is as follows:

  • Leaves Stoke via Tahunanui  to Founders on the hour,
  • The same bus leaves Founders to Stoke via hospital on the half hour,
  • First bus leaves Stoke at 10.00am and the last bus leaves Founders at 3.30pm