Gardens Festival's outstanding award

The Waikato Times Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival has been crowned the Outstanding Event by the New Zealand Recreation Association at its annual awards.

The awards, held on Thursday night (17 November) in Dunedin, recognise contribution to the parks and recreation sector.

The festival was launched in 1998, and was originally run by Hamilton Gardens staff. It is now run by a trust and has become the largest arts festival in the region, comprising opera, dance, theatre, contemporary music and pantomime performances. Other events include film screenings, craft fairs, debates, exhibitions and workshops, and in 2011 the festival drew 80,000 patrons over two weeks. Performances and events are held in a number of Hamilton Gardens themed areas.

Mayor Julie Hardaker said: “This is great news for Hamilton. It is a unique event in New Zealand and it is set in a beautiful location, the Hamilton Gardens. The New Zealand Recreation Association award recognises what a great job the organisers, staff and volunteers do, and confirms what Hamiltonians already know – that this festival is a world-class event.”

Waikato Times Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival Director Sarah Nathan said: “This event is so successful because of the unique combination of New Zealand’s most stunning public gardens, and an exciting and diverse range of creativity and art. This award reflects the value of our event to Hamilton and the wider Waikato community.”