Family Day Whānau Whānui

Family Day is back!  Our day dedicated to whānau fun-times has heaps of free and ticketed arts events for parents, kids, cuzzies and just about everyone to get into.  There are so many ways to play up!
We will keep you and your family entertained, excited and energized from 10.30 - 3.30 pm. Come and join in the fun! If wet, events will be in the Spiegeltent and the Aotea Centre!
Family Day Whānau Whānui Programme

Psychedelic Hairdressers - Osadia
Dressed in incredible costumes, these artistic hairdressers and hair sculptors are mesmerising street theatre performers from Spain who will hold you spellbound as they perform fantastically strange hairdos on willing and brave audience members to the beat of contemporary music.

Gather around to wonder at the transformations taking place or line up to become an ethereal creature from another world. There are no limits here!
11.30am - 2.30pm

Magical Mystical Body Decoration
Who doesn’t love body art! Add a sprinkle of magic and a splash of colour to your Family Day and let the lovely ladies of Magical Masquerade transform you into a figment of your imagination with gorgeous colours and designs from your mind done in a flash

The perfect complement to your Osadia hair sculpture so that you can enjoy your garden day out looking unique and special.
10.30am - 3.30 pm

Remix the Orchestra.
Come start your day with a groove and hear what lights the fire of young Aucklanders.

A hugely popular event at Family Day 2013, this Remix the Orchestra concert will be the debut of 6 young Auckland song stylers, all presenting their original music accompanied by live orchestral players from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and well known urban musicians..
11am-12pm

Lei Play
Celebrate your place in the Pacific by relaxing in the gorgeous Fale Ula and play with lei all day with artist Niki Hastings-McFall. We are building a fence of flowers so come along and help us finish it. Leave your design in the pattern and add to the power of the flower!
10.30am - 3.30 pm

TIOKA TOI Garden Art Board
A  space to add your line and design alongside a Festival artist to join in the fun, colouring and creating to add to the garden vibe.
Today you are invited to collaborate in a drawing activity with garden artist Martin Awa Clarke Langdon, looking at the interplay between positive and negative space in text, pattern and images.
Arty clothing advised to keep clothes clean and mum happy.
11am - 3pm

Monumental Paper Scape.
Take part in the creation of a large-scale, collaborative sculpture, with artist and Te Uru  facilitator Iona Matheson, inspired by  Judy Millar’s The Model World. A twisting armature will invite a monumental, collaged, organic artwork to unfold.
10.30am – 2.30pm

Mesmeric Mime Shows
Festival favourite and internationally acclaimed clown Fraser Hooper returns with two shows!

In Funny Business Fraser's ridiculous routines, hilarious audience involvement and complete disregard for his own safety are pure comedy carnage. 10.45 am
Boxing is filled with belly-aching, knockout fun. 2pm
Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to see an award-winning clown paying homage to the great silent comedians with a definite contemporary edge.

PLUS -  Family Clown Workshop for all ages
Follow Fraser for an hour in his seriously stupid art of clowning workshop and exercise your funny bones in a guaranteed giggle fuelled riot of improvisation, rhythm and devising.
12.15pm

A most charismatic clown - Time Out, London

The Royal New Zealand Navy Band
Directed by Lieutenant Commander Owen Clarke, this extremely versatile ensemble of full time professional musicians is one of the principal military bands in New Zealand. Performing music from jazz, classical, traditional or pop, and always with an innovative twist and flair, the Navy Band proves popular whenever heard and seen.Today they are offering a Dixie Band and a saxophone quartet.
12-12.30 pm

Identity Dance Crew with ID CO
The two-time National Hip-Hop Champions and two time Worlds silver medallists ID CO & Identity Dance Crew will entertain and inspire you with their unique style and complex creative choreography fusing different elements of New School, popping and isolation.
2 performances at 12.45pm and 2.45

Plus IDentity Family Dance Workshop
Keep the fun going with the crew, only this time you are doing the moves! You never know you may just be in that final performance! For all ages
1.30pm

Dance and Singalong
The music of Mr Roberelli delights with its original turns of phrase and rich variety of themes – from the everyday to the highly peculiar.

Children and adults alike soak up the music, going on happy forays into the imaginative space opened up by the irresistible juxtaposition of words, rhymes and rhythm. See you on the dance floor!
1.15 pm

We'll be updating this page with new activities and events right up to Family Day so make sure to keep on checking in for the full programme of events.