October is LGBT History Month. In Auckland, it coincides with the Heritage Festival featuring events organised by the longtime community advocates. The charismatic Edward Bennett, former manager of Auckland Pride Centre, a keen historian and park enthusiast, is running a range of programmes including talks and walking tours of K Rd and Ponsonby area. Freda Stark Writer and researcher Miriam Saphira, creator of the Charlotte Museum, is running walks and talks focused on lesbian history, in particular the life of lesbian icon Freda Stark, who entertained thousands of American Troops during WW2 dancing in Civic Theatre stark naked except for gold body paint. She became famous as witness for the prosecution in a trial of Eric Mareo who was convicted of murdering his wife and Stark’s lover Thelma Trout. Gerry Hill is manager of fabulous Ponsonby Arts hotel and an expert in Ponsonby lgbt heritage, who is eager to show places like the house where Freda Stark lived and Holmdene House, once the popular haunt of transvestites. All listed Heritage Festivals events are free but please make sure to make a booking to secure your place for these popular walks and talks: Charlotte Museum Trust: Freda Stark Heritage Walk Date: 4 Oct, 3pm-4.30pm Venue: Outside Auckland University Library, Alfred Street Description: Freda Stark Heritage Walk outlines Freda's life by passing places she lived, gave evidence and danced. Freda Stark Heritage Walk takes you from the Auckland University where she worked down Symonds Street and through to Queen Street passing places she lived, gave evidence and danced. It will finish at the Stark Bar, Civic Theatre Phone: 021 237 0613 or 09 846 5327 Email: miriamsaphira@gmail.com Website: www.charlottemuseum.lesbian.net.nz K'Road Presents: Karangahape Road Outside tour Date: 4 Oct, 1pm Venue: Meet at St Kevins Arcade, 179 Karangahape Road Description: An intriguing look at Auckland's most colourful street. This free two-hour guided walk covers the social and architectural history of K’ Road. K’ Road has ended up with a representative collection of structures of virtually every period, type and style. As a major shopping street it boasts a splendid range of retail buildings from Victorian through to the modernist period. Many well-known retail names like Pascoes, Hannahs, Hallenstein Bros and Hellaby's along with others began with a shop on K Rd; Leo O'Malley's, George Courts, Rendells, Lewis Eady, DTR, Rush Munro's, and both 1ZB Alexander Lowë - 3rd October 2014