Some of the action from last year’s Mask Parade. Photo: Steve Hussey.

Mask Parade ‘jewel event’ turns 25

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Entries are open for this year’s Mask Parade which returns to the cherished position as the opening event for the Nelson Arts Festival.

The theme for the 25th annual Mask Parade is “Discovery”.

“From Kupe to Cook to Curie, Da Vinci to Darwin to Dora the Explorer, we want to find out what discovery means to everyone in Nelson,” says festival director Charlie Unwin.

He says the Mask Parade and Carnivale is one of the most special things about the festival.

“We’re the only Festival in New Zealand to have a Mask Parade and Carnivale on this scale and it is certainly the jewel in the crown of what continues to be an amazing festival.”

He says the team is “incredibly proud” to present the Mask Parade every year, with thousands of people participating.

“From the littlest to the oldies, the quietest to the loudest, the loveliest to the craziest, the Mask Parade is a celebration of creativity, colour and music, as well as, most importantly, being a whole load of fun.”

Over the next two months, Nelson Arts Festival will be contacting schools and community groups, encouraging them to make the 25th celebratory year one to remember. The festival is confident that the “Discovery” theme will inspire people to create the best masks yet.

Enrolments for the Mask Parade are open now on www. nelsonartsfestival.co.nz