How to do Pasifika 101
Our guide to Pasifika Festival 2021
The iconic festival is back after a two year absence and there's a few changes, so we've put together a guide so you can enjoy the world's largest celebration of Pacific Islands culture to the fullest - catch all the live acts you were hoping to see, eat all your favourite island food and enjoy the different Pacific Islands markets.
Richard Clarke, Head of Major and Business Events at Auckland Unlimited, says there is great anticipation for Pasifika Festival this year.
“Pasifika is a must-attend event if you want to experience the sights, sounds and flavours of the Pacific. There will be fantastic performances, vibrant costumes and delicious food.”
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LOCATION
This is not a drill - Pasifika is NOT at Western Springs this year.
New location: Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, 10 April (10am-8pm) and Sunday, 11 April, (10am-4pm)
GETTING THERE X PARKING
Pasifika generally attracts up to 60,000 people so you know the area around Mt Smart Stadium will be busy this weekend.
There will be NO on-site parking at the stadium with limited parking on the surrounding streets. Local businesses will open premises for parking for a small fee and Beasley Ave will be closed.
You can check out public transport options and plan your trip to the festival using the Auckland Transport Journey Planner. The nearest train station to Mt Smart is Penrose, which is a 10-15 minute walk from the stadium.
A free park and ride service between Waikaraka Park and Mt Smart Stadium will be operating on both festival days. No bookings are required with shuttles running on a 30-minute schedule from 10am until the festival closes.
Don't forget face coverings are mandatory on public transport.
EVENT VILLAGES
There will be eight villages set up with nine Pacific Island nations represented this year.
Seven of the eight villages will feature the Pacific Island nations of Aotearoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu.
The eighth village, new to the festival this year, is the Fale Pasifika Village that will host the islands of Hawai’i and Kiribati alongside a jam-packed line-up of live acts and performances.
As per previous years, each village will have a performance stage where cultural groups will perform traditional and contemporary dances
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Peep the full programme for the Fale Pasifika village and highlights from the other villages below. Head to each of the villages for a full programme break down on each day.
Te Maeva Nui NZ are taking over the Cook Islands Village at Pasifika Festival this weekend and they'll have tickets to sell at the earlybird price of $25 (per day or $50 for the 2 shows).
There are only a limited number of tickets available for this earlybird sale, and ONLY at Pasifika. You'll be able to find them near the O'Rourke Rd Entrance.
Get in there early and get some savings!
Don't miss out on the final act to take to the Fale Pasifika Village on Sunday 11 April - the king of island reggae himself George ‘Fiji’ Veikoso.
In the meantime watch him share his musical journey with us here:
FOOD
We know you're missing the islands while the borders are still closed so transport your taste buds to the tropics and check out all the food stalls, support the local fundraisers and try another islands signature dish. With different villages representing some of the major Pacific Islands, there's something for you to taste from all corners of the Pacific ... Sample super-fresh seafood, hāngī or umu washed down with a tropical banana smoothie or Tongan otai. PLUS don’t forget to make room for all the sweet tingz.
We offer up our Food Tips for Pasifika below -
ARTS and CRAFTS
Bringing their unique flavor and flair, the market stalls at Pasifika are where you can find the beautiful hand-made arts and crafts that our Pacific nations are reknown for - from the beautiful woven pandanus bags to the gorgeous pearls, there's something for everyone!
Check out more of what you can expect to find at Pasifika in this video -
WEATHER & SITE INFO
The festival will go ahead in rain or shine so plan for all weather conditions - bring sunscreen, a hat and a raincoat. Guide dogs and mobility scooters are allowed on-site.
Some vendors may not have Eftpos facilities so please bring cash, however there will be a cash-out facility available on-site.
Please be reminded that Pasifika Festival is a smoke and alcohol-free event.
COVID-19
Pasifika can only go ahead under Alert Level 1 and will be delivered in line with Ministry of Health COVID-19 guidelines.
Festival goers will be encouraged to scan in using the QR code at the main gates and to have the Bluetooth tracing function switched on. QR codes will be prominently displayed throughout the festival venue.
Hand sanitiser stations and the COVID-19 Sani Squad will be available as well. We urge anyone who is unwell or displaying any COVID-19 symptoms to stay at home.
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Have fun and see you at Pasifika Festival 2021!
