Parnell turns on rose festival fun

The Parnell Festival of Roses is on this Saturday and Sunday.

Set among the colour and vibrancy of newly bloomed roses at the Parnell Rose Gardens, the free family festival will feature live music, fine food, poetry, craft stalls, an art exhibition and more.

This year’s event will include a performance by New Zealand singer Shona Laing. She is just one of a long list of musicians to perform throughout the weekend – Miho Wada, Otis Mace and Neil Watson will also take to the stage.

Strolling performers will be surprising crowds over the weekend.

There will be two new events this year – a fashion show and an outdoor cinema.

Saturday afternoon’s fashion show, directed by New Yorker Linda Chandler, will profile new season looks from local boutiques and a movie – Oscar Award-winning La Vie en Rose, based on the life of French singer Edith Piaf – will screen on Saturday night at sunset.

There will be an art exhibition and a number of craft stalls on hand as well as a new Kidzone.

Visitors can also head to the Parnell Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning.

The market is between the Parnell library and the War Memorial Museum from 8am to noon and there will be some family activities inside the library.

And at the Parnell Road Markets the street will be decorated with roses and Parnell’s shops will have a range of products on sale, with street stalls, music, and entertainment for children.

A free bus will loop around festival venues every 30 minutes from 10am to 6pm during the weekend.

- The Parnell Festival of Roses is one of more than 60 free events provided by Auckland City Council this summer. For more information see www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/events.

- © Fairfax NZ News