Missing carnival
15/03/2006 12:00:00 a.m.
SOMETHING is missing in Wellington.
Don’t worry, you haven’t missed the annual Cuba Street Carnival – this year it is not on.
The carnival has become a biennial celebration, organiser Chris Morley-Hall says, and a new revised resource consent for the event is being discussed.
"The main reason for the change from annual to biennial is it was seen as a good off-year event to the Arts Festival.
"We have had a lot of stops and starts with roading consent, and because of noise generated from the event," Morley-Hall adds.
It was a conscious decision by Morely-Hall and the stakeholders (WCC, Creative NZ, Cuba St Carnival Board of Trustees) to cancel this year’s Cuba Street Carnival.
"It’s a blessing in disguise. We were always behind the eight ball when running an annual event."
But with more time to organise the carnival, Morley–Hall says the change is a positive one.
Wellington City Council, one of the carnival’s primary stakeholders, says it continues to support the event.
"We will be talking to the carnival organisers about 2007 and see how we can enhance and develop the event," says John Dawson, WCC events manager.
The Cuba Street Carnival has been running since 1999, with the next event scheduled for February 24, 2007.
