One of Auckland’s most glorious venues, Victoria Park, will host a multi-space party which will be one of the signature events of the inaugural Pride Festival. “The party’s called Proud,” explains Festival Director Julian Cook. “And I want it to be a party I am proud of. And that’s certainly the way it’s headed now.” It wasn’t an easy task for Cook, who was determined to find somewhere outstandingly unique for the 23 February party. He says it’s difficult to find spaces in Auckland for between one to two thousand people, and he was “hitting his head against a brick wall” for months. “With a party of this kind you want to do something that raises the bar and excites people and is a real immersive experience,” he explains. Friends from Pack Jacqui Stanford - 10th January 2013