Hamilton festival 'to uplift NZ youth'
Later this month a huge line up of nationwide sports, television and music celebrities will converge on the Claudelands Event Centre to celebrate the 2013 Rise and Shine Youth Festival.
Expected to attract around 5,000 people, Event Manager Tama Hata says the festival will give youth the opportunity to engage with some of our biggest household names.
"There are three key components to the festival", says Tama. "The Main Arena is a full day programme of top musical entertainment sprinkled with motivational speaking from NZ sports stars. The lineup includes NZGT stars The J Geeks and Tawaroa Kawana, the film ‘Boy’s James Rolleston and popular acts Sons of Zion, Tasty Brown, Tomorrow People, Three Houses Down, House of Shem, Chad Chambers, Ria Hall, DJ Fortafy and Donnell Lewis".
Outside The Main Arena, The Playground and The Village will focus on recreational pursuits including an Amazing Race, a school challenge and other fun activities coordinated by Auckland’s Rock Up, Sport Waikato and Te Ahurei o Rangatahi.
Former Vodafone Warrior and festival MC Wairangi Koopu, says that The Education and Careers Expo is "probably the most important component". Designed to provide advice and information on future training, development, and employment opportunities, The Expo will also host health and wellbeing kiosks as the pivotal centre of the event.
"This festival overall is an opportunity for youth to engage and have insight into some pathways they can choose to take them into adulthood. It’s all positive and this is why I became involved." said Wairangi,
With over 60 volunteers from local youth groups and out of the tertiary sector, Tama says that this is a festival hosted by youth, for youth and is guided by the proverbial legacy of Te Puea Herangi, "Dreams become reality when we take action - Te ohonga ake i tooku moemoeaa ko te puawaitanga o te whakaaro".
"We have some of the most experienced event coordinators in place to teach these younger ones the ropes" explains Tama. "For me, the mentoring benefits far outweigh the event itself and can hopefully become a positive catalyst for the choices a young person makes in life."
For more information go to www.riseandshinefestival.co.nz. Tickets are currently $30 from Ticketek.
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