The Liberal Agenda – Free family fun to close out Matariki

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Huge crowds are expected to help light up Auckland’s waterfront this weekend, as leading inclusive performing arts company, Touch Compass presents InMotion Matariki- New Zealand’s only all-wheels illuminated parade. Taking place on Saturday, July 21from 5:30pm,the freefamily event is cementing itself as a quintessential event on the annual Matariki Festival calendar.

Starting at Silo Park in Wynyard Quarter, the parade will be a visually impressive display of light, performance and entertainment. Families, bike enthusiasts, performers and members of the disability community will travel with their decorated wheels (be they bike, scooters, pushchairs or wheelchairs) from Silo Park to the Cloud. Those without wheels are also fully encouraged to join the fun on foot.

Matariki on the Waterfrontis also being held at Silo Park, so it will be all action from 5:30pm, when participants arrive for the InMotion Matariki parade.

As with last year, Touch Compass is collaborating with Wellington-based Lucid DreamBike- who specialise in creating breathtaking masterpieces on wheels – and who are putting the final touches on some truly spectacular floats for the event. Participants will be delighted by lantern sculptures, floats depicting kereru in flight, a ruru and the crowd is encouraged to look out for the micro star trike – promised to be the cutest float to date.

The star of the evening is sure to be a mythical 509-year-old tāmure. Lucid tell us their fictitious golden snapper returns during Matariki each year to say hello to the fishermen that set her free.

The Lucid team are based at Sustainable Coastlines, on Jellicoe St, this week and members of the public are welcome to stop by and check out their work.

If awe-inspiring floats aren’t enough, the event will kick off in the perfect spot for viewing the Vector Lights for Matariki on the harbour bridge, followed by an incredible haka fusion performance by Toka Tūand Touch Compass dancers.

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As well as the colourful display of light and sound throughout the route, the parading masses will be treated to pop-up performances along the parade route. Pop-rock group The Mutes (from mars)will dazzle with their impressive live show. With all members living with an intellectual disability, the Mutes (from mars) are breaking barriers and perceptions – through sheer talent and impressive musicianship. A plethora of interactive performance will add to the array of colour, sounds and magic. These include dancers donned with illuminated fish heads courtesy of Weta Workshop, fire poi and The Bicycle Chap – renowned for his popularity with children and his vast knowledge of the history of cycling. Last year he wowed the crowd with a big, green illuminated Penny Farthing, and this year he promises to be just as unique.

The parade will conclude at The Cloud at approximately 8pm.It’s here that the crowd will be treated to an incredible feat of aerial dance, from Touch Compass dancers Rodney Bell (principal) and Julie Van Renen.

Parade participants will also enjoy the spectacle of a mass dance in The Cloud to the song Wairuaby Maimoa. The past few months have seen schools throughout Auckland working with students of all abilities, to learn the dance, and everyone is encouraged to participate. The video of the dance can be viewed on the Touch Compass website here.

As a fully inclusive and accessible event, the parade is disability-friendly. Auckland Transport are great supporters of the InMotion Matariki and have organised additional mobility parking bays in the Downtown car park building. Full parking and transport information for InMotion Matariki can be foundhere.

Food trucks will be on site at both Silo Park and The Cloud.

The weekend weather report is looking optimistic at this stage, but in the event of rain, InMotion Matariki will take place entirely in The Cloud. Check the Touch Compass Facebook page for updates on the day here.

Touch Compass general manager, Charlotte Nightingale says, “We’re extremely proud to see InMotion Matariki establishing itself as an integral part of Auckland Council’s annual Matariki Festival and to celebrate Matariki in such an inclusive and magical way again this year.”

WHAT: Matariki celebration

WHEN: 5.30pm, Saturday 21st 

WHERE: Silo Park