MEDIA RELEASE: 2011 Dunedin Midwinter Carnival Update

Public Lantern Making Workshops Booked Out for the first time ever!


If the uptake of this year’s public lantern making workshops is anything to go by, the 2011 Midwinter Carnival Procession promises to be one of the best ever!

“The response to the workshops is unprecedented. We have had to work hard to fit people in by asking them to make fewer lanterns per family and many people have had to miss out, but we just can’t fit anyone else in!” said Festival Event Manager Paul Smith.

Over 150 brightly coloured bumble bee and lady-bird lanterns have been made by local children and their parents over the last two weekends. Insect ‘cocoons’ are being made at the St Paul’s Cathedral Crypt this weekend.

Everyone who makes a lantern will proudly carry them around the Octagon as part of the 2011 Midwinter Carnival Procession – showing off their achievements to thousands of other Dunedinites.

The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival will take place at 5.30pm on Saturday 25th June in the Octagon. The theme is ‘Night Creatures’, New Zealand’s unique insect fairytale, featuring giant moths, spiders and slaters, spectacular stilt walking creatures, street performers and hundreds of community made lanterns.

“Last year we had a record turnout so people will need to get there early to get a good spot,” said Mr Smith. “We have also put on extra stalls as there was such high demand for them.”

People are encouraged to come early to soak up the carnival atmosphere provided by braziers, live music and food stalls. World music act Mama Yeva, from Dunedin, will be performing prior and following the Carnival Procession.

A community run event the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival brings families together to celebrate winter and the creative culture that is so unique to Dunedin. The lanterns aptly represent returning light, creativity, and community. The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival is organised by the Dunedin Midwinter Celebrations Trust. Spectators are requested to support the sustainability of this event by making a donation as they arrive or leave the event.
www.midwintercarnival.co.nz 


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PHOTOS: Children and their families busy making ‘Buzzy Bees’ at the Dunedin North workshop on Saturday 12th June.

2011 Dunedin Midwinter Carnival - Media Release

Saturday 25 June, 5.30pm, The Octagon, Dunedin

On June 25^th 2011, the lights will be turned off in the heart of Dunedin city and ‘Night Creatures’ will take over. The iconic Dunedin Midwinter Carnival returns in 2011 with ‘Night Creatures’, New Zealand’s very own insect fairytale.

The Octagon’s Victorian streetscape and St Paul’s Cathedral will be brought to life, with braziers and giant lanterns, stilt walkers, musicians and dancers, who will circumnavigate the Octagon, joined by hundreds of smaller hand-made lanterns carried by local children. The lanterns represent returning light, creativity, and community.

Juliet Novena Sorrel, the carnival’s Artistic Director described the moment when the lanterns are lit just before the parade starts as “truly magical”. The magic must be powerful as an estimated 10,000 people attended the Midwinter Carnival in 2010.

The Midwinter Carnival art team works hard to make each event unique with a new theme, different costuming, lanterns and performance every year. Sorrel explained that “Dunedin has some very talented people and it is great to be able to bring them together to celebrate winter, the longest night and the rise of Matariki.” This year promises to be just as magical. Expect giant lanterns created by Dunedin artist Katrina Thomson which will represent features in the night sky, giant puriri moths the moon, and wetas.

Spectacular costumes are another essential element of the Midwinter Carnival. Well  known Dunedin fashion designer Fieke Neuman is working on the Carnival art team to create extraordinary stilt costumes with an insect theme. The costumes will be performed in by a group of young women stiltwalkers trained by Novena Sorrel, who was herself a professional stiltwalker. The stilt characters have names such as ‘Girly Long Legs’, ‘Mosquitoes’ and ‘Beetle Girls’.

Last year saw 70 costumed performers and this year’s procession promises additional “feature characters” who will showcase their individual talents. International stiltwalker and aerialist Rhys Latton has joined the Midwinter Carnival team this year and will perform as a giant spider on four legged stilts. Sorrel described Fieke Newman’s creations as “So unique that audiences are in for a real treat, while actors like Rhys ‘become’ the creatures they portray”.

The first midwinter celebration was held in 1997 and over the last decade the Midwinter Carnival has left indelible memories in the minds of Dunedin’s younger generation. Hundreds of local families will be part of this year’s parade with their own hand-made lanterns. Lantern making workshops for all ages will take place on 4-5^th June, 11-12^th June, and 18-19^th June, in South Dunedin, North East Vallery, and the central city. The cost is $5 per lantern and participants must register online at http://www.midwintercarnival.co.nz/.

The Midwinter Carnival event is suitable for all ages with organisers requesting a donation or gift of koha from attendees. 

For more information contact:

Sarah Girvan                                                    Juliet Novena Sorrel

Publicist                                                              Artistic Director

Immersion Marketing                                          Dunedin Midwinter Carnival

03 479 2036                                                       03 477 3350

021 552 240                                                       027 565 7713

sarah@immersionmarketing.co.nz                        info@midwintercarnival.co.nz        

http://www.immersionmarketing.co.nz/                          http://www.midwintercarnival.co.nz/

2010 Dunedin Midwinter Carnival the biggest ever!

Midwinter Carnival 2010At Immersion Marketing we love getting involved with community events, so we jumped at the chance of being publicist for the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival.

The results spoke for themselves, an estimated crowd of 10,000, the event's biggest turnout ever and an increase of over 40% on 2009. Significant media in the lead-up to the Carnival saw all lantern making workshops sell out in record time and generated an estimated $78k worth of media coverage.
Photos and more here >>......

2010 Dunedin Midwinter Carnival the biggest ever!

At Immersion Marketing we love getting involved with community events, so we jumped at the chance of being publicist for the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival.

The Midwinter Carnival is a fantastic family focussed event that truly showcases Dunedin's rich artistic talent. Organised by a group of extremely passionate artists and volunteers Immersion added our public relations expertise to the mix and enjoyed working on the project immensely.

The results spoke for themselves, an estimated crowd of 10,000, the event's biggest turnout ever and an increase of over 40% on 2009. Significant media in the lead-up to the Carnival saw all lantern making workshops sell out in record time and generated an estimated $78k worth of media coverage.

Immerison undertook:
- Media release writing and distribution
- Media liaison and management
- Social media management (checkout the Facebook page)
- Online marketing
- Email marketing

2011 planning is already well underway!

Photos courtesy of Alan Dove Photography

Testimonial - Dunedin Midwinter Carnival

Sarah from Immersion Marketing took our event to another level in terms of audience attendance. She was professional and understood our values and ideas when working on publicity material. A pleasure to work with.

Paul Smith, Event Manager - Dunedin Midwinter Carnival