Singers, dancers, bands, cultural groups and magicians — the Howick Local Board has opened applications and given them six weeks
The Howick Local Board is looking for performers for its Christmas night on Stockade Hill, after two years in which the weather beat the event on the night it was meant to run.
Expressions of interest opened on Wednesday and close at midnight on Friday 30 October.
The event runs from 6pm to 9pm on Friday 11 December, and is free.
The Board says it wants performers “of all kinds – singers, dancers, bands, cultural groups, magicians”, and that full sound, a stage and a greenroom will be provided.
The Stockade Hill Christmas Lights night is the traditional start of the festive season in Howick, built around children helping Santa light the tree on the hill.
In 2023 the stage carried carols, Chinese dance, K-pop and Santa on a ukulele.
The 2024 event, set down for Friday 15 November, was called off in bad weather, and the tree was lit a fortnight later at what the Board’s then chairperson, Damian Light, called a “belated” lighting and a “wonderfully informal yet magical experience”, with Santa leading the singing.
Last year’s night was shifted from mid-November to Sunday 30 November in what Auckland Council called “a little festive shuffle, all to give us the best shot at great weather”.
It too was rained off, but went ahead after being moved to Saturday 6 December.
The Board traditionally allocates a budget to the night, and last year set aside $33,522 for an annual event of musical entertainment from the local community built around the lighting of the tree.
The Board’s call for acts is also wider than the “local schools and community groups” of previous years, and the application takes about five minutes.
Questions go to stockadehillchristmas@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
