WOMAD

WOMAD NZ, 13 - 15 March 2009. Over three gorgeous days around 40,000 ticket holders soaked up the sounds, smiles and sunshine at WOMAD NZ 2009. The festival plunged festival-goers into sensory overload with sights, sounds, arts and crafts, and culinary delights from around the globe.

More than 200 artists came together in New Plymouth, New Zealand to deliver an expansive array of music and dance. Many of the artists enjoyed meeting festival-goers at CD signing sessions and during their strolls among the stunning venue and the happy audience.

The festivities kicked off on Wednesday night with a beach bbq for the artists to welcome them to the West Coast of New Zealand. Thursday's powhiri (traditional Mãori welcome on a marae) delighted and moved the performers and set the scene for the following three-days of cross-cultural engagement.

Over the next three-days a nearly full-house enjoyed 30 hours of musical and dance performances on six stages as well as films under the stars, workshops and conversation programmes with artists, as well as cooking demonstrations by some of the artists. The Kidzone programme brought out the creativity of around 3,000 children who delighted in parading their creations during the Grand Kids Parade on closing night.

Thanks: Thanks to all who supported WOMAD NZ 2009 - artists, ticket holders, stall holders, volunteers, sponsors, partners, crew, media, MCs, suppliers, community groups and the international WOMAD family! You are all an important part of WOMAD NZ and we look forward to working with you again in the very near future to plan another fabulous festival for 12 -14 March 2010.

Photgraphs Taranaki Newspapers Ltd.