Unlucky 13 for Festival

It was billed as Absolutely Positively Wellington Pasifika but, in the end, it proved to be anything but.
In fact, the February 13 event in New Zealand’s capital could better be described as “disorganized” and “disappointing”.
Encouraged by last year’s Pasifika, where thousands of people enjoyed the sunshine to wander among displays of arts and crafts, clothing and food representing several Pacific Island nations, Rarotongan vendors were eager to return to Waitangi Park.
Five of them joined the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) in setting up stalls on the day of the event. What they hadn’t counted on was Mother Nature deciding to pay a visit.
“(We) were all ready to go,” said Alana Short, Trade Promotions Officer for BTIB. “And then the organizers came in at 9 o’clock – when it was supposed to start at 10 – and said to stop setting up. And then it just started gusting.”
That the fickle Wellington weather would blow in to disrupt the event was no surprise. What did prove disheartening was how there was no Plan B to fall back on.
“The city council didn’t have a backup plan venue to move to,” explained Short. “So we had to kick into damage control and find an alternative venue. Everybody had put in the time and effort and money into getting there, and you can’t just go home and sit on your products, because you live all the way in the Cook Islands.”
The operation was eventually shifted to the Pacific Islanders’ Presbyterian Church hall in the Wellington suburb of Newton but, by then, the window of opportunity had nearly closed.
“The 100,000 people who would have walked through the actual event would not have been able to divert that fast to come over to this little hall,” said Short.
While some sales were made, and the BTIB was able to offload its supply of pawpaws and frozen taro originally designed to attract attention to the Cook Islands’ export opportunities, the day fell far short of being successful.
“All-round it was just a disaster,” said Mark Sherwin of Mareko Island Creations, one of the vendors in attendance. “It was very disappointing for us. It was very expensive for us.”
This was scheduled to be the third year for the Wellington Pasifika, but Short isn’t sure there will be a fourth. From what she understands, the city’s council members appear divided on the event’s future.
Short referred to the trip to Wellington as “four days of challenges” but admitted it served as a learning curve for the future.
“From here on in, when looking for different trade events to participate in, we will ask organizers for a risk-management plan,” she said. “To see what would happen in the event of anything unforeseen happening.”
Short is now focused on the 18th annual Pasifika Festival at Auckland’s Western Springs. Seven vendors from the Cook Islands are scheduled to attend, including several of those who felt the sting of the Wellington wind.
Short is confidant that this event will go ahead as planned.
“The Auckland festival is considerably bigger,” she said. “And they are more organized.”