Out in the Park will mark 30 years since Homosexual Law Reform and its own 30th anniversary with a week-long festival of events in March. Georgina Beyer, Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and LaQuisha St Redfern at the 2015 event. Picture: Kathryn Armitage Photography. The event began with the tagline “a fair for a fair law” during the law reform fight, and has since grown into Out in the Park. “To really commemorate both occasions we will be bringing the whole community together to hold a week-long festival of events from 5-13 March,” says Out in the Park co-chair Adrienne Girling. “Out in the Park, our full day fair, will take place in Waitangi Park on 12 March, opened by our second Love Parade.” Girling says for the festival, they are hoping to work with with groups and organisations across the LGBTQI+ community to put on a festival that reflects all of our diversity. “We want a spectrum of events, big or small, from dance parties to art exhibits, movies, panel discussions, sports days, etc. “The idea is that community groups and organisations plan their own events for the festival, and the Out in the Park committee will facilitate with planning and will put together the full programme of events. We can help brainstorm ideas, suggest venues, promote the events and find volunteers.” Girling says they also welcome ideas from the community for the type of events they would like to see. “This festival is a time to come together in all our diversity to celebrate how far we have come, but also to reflect on where we are heading and what more we need to do to overcome the struggles that many members of our community continue to face.”Contact the team at chair@outinthepark.co.nz
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 20th August 2015 - 9:15am