After missing the last two years due to terrorist risk following the Christchurch shootings, and last year because of Covid-19 lockdown, we finally got a chance to get amongst CubaDupa for the first time last month.
Upstairs at FIVE:45 we had a very family friendly weekend, encouraging visitors to come up for a quiet break from the hustle and the bustle. We offered helium balloons on the street and free rainbow face painting in the office. We recruited our children and their friends to support these activities, and they did an awesome job.
CubaDupa is usually an annual event held in Wellington towards the end of March and this year it ran over the weekend from 27-28th March. The festival is well known as New Zealand's most creative and diverse street festival.
Find out more on the CubaDupa website; "With over 19 hours of pre programmed entertainment the soul of Cuba precinct came to life with 50 stages and creative zones, delivering 500 performances and 20 parades with over 1700 artists from all over Aotearoa; as well as the annual and delicious Street Feast which includes over 120 food vendors and licensed areas in the completely pedestrianised Cuba Street Precinct."
This year, an estimated 120,000 attended on Saturday alone, easily surpassing the 100,000-strong crowd that visits the festival across two days in a normal year.
Reported by Stuff..."When asked how it felt to be back, festival director Gerry Paul responded: “You’ll make me all emotional.”
Walking down the street, people were smiling ear to ear, he said. “There was just such a lovely feeling and vibe amongst the community. I think everyone knows how lucky we are.”
He guessed this year’s CubaDupa was the largest street festival in the world. “I can’t imagine there is anything gathering with over 120,000 people in one place anywhere else in the world.”"
We have already started thinking about CubaDupa 2022 so make sure you make an effort to come and visit us. Check this video of one of the street performances out:
Here are some of our favourite pics from the day:
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