Record Number of Entries for 2010 ASB Polyfest

A record number of school cultural groups have entered the 2010 ASB Polyfest which celebrates its 35th Anniversary at the Manukau Sportsbowl from 17 – 20 March.

For the second time in the 34 year history of the festival, over 200 cultural groups have entered the ASB Polyfest. 210 schools groups have entered to take part on the festival stages, up from the 178 groups who performed at last year’s event.

There has been an increase in the number of groups performing on each of the festival cultural stages – the Cook Islands stage, Hapai Te Haurora Maori stage, MIT Niue Stage, The University of Auckland Samoan Stage, ACC Tongan stage, and The Office of Ethnic Affairs Diversity stage.

63 schools from the Auckland region have entered cultural groups, an increase from the 59 schools who took part last year. This record number of entries is great news for the festival organizers and host school – Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in the year where the festival celebrates its 35th Anniversary.

The ASB Polyfest has grown significantly from its small beginnings in 1976 when four schools took part in the inaugural festival. These were Seddon High School (now Western Springs College), Aorere College, Mangere College and the host of the inaugural festival – Hillary College.

At this year’s 35th Anniversary, 210 cultural groups from 63 schools will take part of the four day festival at the Manukau Sportsbowl, with some interesting entries including –

 Avondale College are back on the Samoan stage, where they have won the last eight titles in the co-ed schools section.

 Otahuhu College have finished second to Avondale College in the co-ed schools section of the Samoan Stage for the past eight years, and are looking to reverse roles in 2010.

 Tangaroa College will be defending the overall title of the Niue Stage.

 Mangere College will be defending the overall title on the Cook Islands Stage. Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate had previously won this title from 2006 – 08.

 Kahurangi – Auckland Girls Grammar are seeking a three-peat of victories in Division One on the Maori Stage. In 2008, they were the first all Girls school to win the top honours on the Maori stage.

 Te Kura Kaupapa o Puau Te Moananui a Kiwi from Glen Innes have entered a group onto the Maori stage for the first time.

The 35th Anniversary of the ASB Polyfest takes place at the Manukau Sportsbowl from 17 – 20 March. Entry is $4.