12.01AM: A simple but unfortunate date conflict has seen the likely return of Auckland's Hero Parade delayed until at least 2009. At its peak in the late 1990s the Hero Parade was New Zealand's biggest and most visible glbt event, was televised nationally and attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators including senior politicians and Prime Ministers to its Ponsonby Road route. A statement supplied to GayNZ.com this morning indicates that despite the delay Hero is strongly committed to bringing back the parade. Speculation emerged during this year's Hero Festival that the parade would return next year. But the Hero Charitable Trust, which had received an offer from an event manager to run a 2008 parade, says the only feasible date, February 23, was already taken by a StarLight Concert in the Domain and the Auckland City Council was unable to approve both events for the same evening due to traffic and crowd management concerns. “An offer of the first Saturday in February, the only close available date, was deemed unsuitable within the HERO calendar” says Hero chair Michael Bancroft. He says Hero regrets the delayed return of the iconic parade, despite the "strong offer” to organise a 2008 parade and the offer of a sponsorship deal. The primary sponsorship is understood to have been offered by the 42 Below Vodka company. Despite its turning down permission for the parade on Hero's preferred date, Hero says the Auckland City Council has been “exceptionally helpful” during negotiations to bring back what was for almost a decade the most colourful and spectacular event on the Auckland entertainment calendar. Under an operational model created after the 2001 financial collapse of Hero all Festival events, including the Hero Party, are approved for inclusion in the Festival by the Hero Charitable Trust which takes advice from the Hero Brand Management Group. However, each event is run independently of Hero and the individual event organisers are liable for all legal and financial aspects of their events. After approving events and levying a small fee for promotion of the festival period, Hero takes no part in the running or financing of events. Given that plans to push ahead to for a possible Parade in 2009 are already in motion, “expressions of interest from potential organisers for a possible 2009 Parade are being accepted until Friday 3rd July,” says Bancroft, and can be submitted to Hero at Box 3132, Auckland or emailed to info@hero.co.nz. Tenders are also now also open for submissions to organise the HERO 2008 Party. Potential organisers for the 2008 Party are asked to submit proposals no later than 5pm Friday 18 May to the above postal or email addresses. Additionally, glbt people wishing to offer their services as part of the advisory Hero Brand Management Group should also contact Hero asap, says Bancroft. Ref: GayNZ.com (j)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 19th April 2007 - 12:00pm