UPDATE – as of 6th March 2021 Rainbow Pride Auckland has announced a change of date for this year’s Rainbow Parade – Saturday 27th March 2021 at 6 pm. If for some reason the parade cannot run on the 27th the event will be cancelled for the year.
The parade was supposed to have run this on the 20th February 2021 but community cases of Covid-19 in Auckland and a raising of alert levels for the city meant the organizers decided to postpone the event until the 13th March. Further cases of covid and a change in alert levels have lead to the latest change.
There was also controversy surrounding the parade when it turned out that the New Zealand AIDS Foundation would not be participating in this weeks event, but would be represented at Auckland Pride’s Our March on the 27th February.
In an interview with Andrew Whiteside, the CEO of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation explained why the Foundation decided not to attend but also gave a commitment to investigate the possibility of attending the event once a new date was set.
You can listen to the interview here:
Below is the press release from Rainbow Pride Auckland with details about the new date and arrangements for the 13th March 2021:
PRESS RELEASE FROM RAINBOW PRIDE
Following on from the latest shift in Covid alert levels, The Ponsonby Street Festival and The Auckland Rainbow Parade will now take place on March 27. The Parade will kick off at the slightly later time of 6pm and run through until 7pm and the Ponsonby Street Festival will continue the party running from 7pm – 10pm.
The Auckland Rainbow Parade and Ponsonby Street Festival take place in unity and therefore a joint decision between the Ponsonby Business Association and Rainbow Pride Auckland was made to postpone the events with the safety of those attending and participating in the festivities paramount.
Viv Rosenberg from the Ponsonby Business Association said “Ponsonby has long been a safe place for our Rainbow Communities and the Ponsonby Street Festival is set out as another way to show our support in and around the proceedings of the Auckland Rainbow Parade. The decision to postpone and find a new date was made jointly as we feel one event simply would not be the same without the other.”
Diversity, love and unity will continue to be the theme of the day as The Ponsonby Street Festival returns on Saturday March 13 2021. The Auckland Rainbow Parade will take part in amongst a full day celebration with live music, street performers, food and market stalls.
Auckland Rainbow Parade event organiser, Shaughan Woodcock, said “The shifting Covid alert levels have provided only a slight hiccup to the parade, but the show must go on! We are thrilled to have a new date in March and we are looking forward to having a parade that is safe and enjoyable for all those participating and attending.”
The Day’s Events
Market Day and Food – There will be plenty of time to indulge in some tasty treats, with market stalls, pop ups and restaurant specials available from 11am.
The Auckland Rainbow Parade will be turning Ponsonby Road from tar to tar-ific as the nearly 1500 participants move on foot and un-motorised floats from Tole Street down Ponsonby Road to Williamson Ave at 6pm. Grab a perch on Ponsonby Road and support our LGBTQI Rainbow whānau.
The parade has been made possible thanks to our partners: Auckland Unlimited, ZM, Tower Insurance, Wireless Nation, Waitemata Local Board and many others.
The Ponsonby Street Festival –Following the parade, crowds will be treated to a carnival style performance from Brazilian Dancers and Drag Queen performers setting the scene for the rest of the festival beginning at 7pm.
- The Three Lamps Stage at Milly’s Corner will be the home to Gypsy-jazz, and a Latin American Vibe on the street and relaxed dining at Three Lamps.
- Fire Station / Lincoln St will have high energy dance zones with DJs
- Main Stage Richmond Rd will have a live band from 7.00pm including a cameo Drag Queen performance at 8.30pm
To find out more about the Ponsonby Street Festival head to iloveponsonby.co.nz and for more information on the Auckland Rainbow Parade or to register your interest head to rainbowpride.org.nz
ENDS
