Flea Market a colourful start for Centennial Celebrations
Tuesday 19 August 2008, 6:54PM
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Stalls, special deals, costume and colour will turn Victoria Street into a bustling bazaar on Friday 26 September, launching three days of celebration commemorating the centennial of Dargaville becoming a borough.
The colourful flea market in Victoria Street will kick off at 9.00am and Kaipara’s Community Development Facilitator Heidi Dreyer is urging shopkeepers, community groups, craftspeople and the whole community to take part.
“We want shopkeepers out on the street with stalls and offering special deals, for craftspeople and artists to have their goods on sale, people to hold garage sales - in fact anyone wanting to sell or promote something.
“Also we hope businesses will decorate their windows and want people to dress up to represent any era from the last 100 years”
Heidi says with many visitors coming to the celebrations the flea market is a wonderful chance to showcase the town and also provide a great event for locals. “We ask everyone to get into the festive spirit and take part”.
Shopkeepers can make their own arrangements and anyone else wanting to set up a stall is asked to roll up to the band rotunda before 8.30am. Victoria Street will be closed to all but stall holder’s traffic from 7.00am to 7.00pm.
At 4.00 pm the street becomes a racetrack as teams of four race trolleys from the band rotunda to the ANZ Bank and back. Trolleys are provided and entry costs $5.00 per team, which will be donated to charity.
“Businesses or clubs can challenge each other, families can enter teams or just get a group together for some fun,” says Heidi who would like the race to become an annual fixture.
Entries are also wanted for the Saturday Sports at Dargaville High School where ‘oldies’ can test their skills against each other and the younger generation. “Action includes seven-aside rugby, netball, hockey and cricket and we want everyone from golden oldies to secondary school sides.”
For more information on the flea market, trolley derby and sports events contact Carine Lange, telephone 021 424 354 or 09 439 6922.
The celebrations also include Dargaville’s own pop star Mark Williams returning to his home patch with iconic band Dragon for a triumphant concert on the Friday night. Supporting acts include local bands, Dave and Undertow, featuring vocalist Melissa.
“This concert and Mark Williams’ return to Dargaville is attracting huge interest, including national television, “Heidi says.
Saturday night’s Celebration Ball has music by the Whangarei Basin Big Brass Band plus entertainment by Dargaville High School pianist Thomas Koloi. It is also strongly supported by Instep Dance Studio.
Sunday afternoon’s variety concert features a great line-up, including Kevin Friedrich, Kim Copedo and Annette Hawkins, Ronnie Antonio, Otamatea Repertory Society, Dargaville Little Theatre, Kauri Chorus and Kids Idol Maungaturoto winner Brooke Menzies. Also, a skeleton crew is honing their skills to present a mystery ‘Council Thriller’ act.
Mayor Neil Tiller predicts the centennial celebration will be a great event.
“It is shaping up as a fantastic three days and I hope everyone will help celebrate this important milestone,” he says. “The town has a colourful and important history and the centenary provides a great opportunity to re-acquaint ourselves with some of this and have a great time in the process.”
All tickets go on sale on Monday 25 August. Tickets for Mark Williams/Dragon will be available from The Noise Co and all McCoy & Thomas Sports Hunting and Fishing outlets in Northland while tickets for the ball and Sunday concert will be sold at The Noise Co.