Lanterns on the Awa

30/04/2024

Check out this video Mark Seconi made and shared with me. Love it! Thanks Mark. Hope you all like it too.

29/04/2024

Hi everyone,

We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your likes, loves, and messages on social media, as well as the valuable suggestions shared in the comments. Your support means the world to us. We're thrilled that you appreciate what we've created for you and the community. Your presence and engagement are the true measures of our success, and we couldn't be more grateful. So, thank you!

We also want to express our gratitude to our sponsors: GDM Retail (title sponsor), G.J. Gardner Homes NZ (Whanganui), and Property Brokers (Whanganui), and to our partners and funders: Whanganui District Council, Whanganui & Partners, Whanganui High School, Confucius Institute, and sister city Lijiang.

A big shoutout to our local supporters and heroes: Scafit Limited (Whanganui), Plumber Dan, Bullocks Group - Contracting, Concrete & Aggregates, Speedy Signs Whanganui - Wanganui, Volunteer Whanganui, PAK'nSAVE Whanganui, Mitre 10 MEGA Whanganui, GoFox, 151 on London Motel and Conference Venue, Anndion Lodge, Mainfreight, H&A Print, and others who have quietly supported us. Special thanks to JA Russell, Tim Crowe, Harrisons Hiremaster, the tech team at Whanganui Venues & Events (Nathan and team), the boss & lady boss at Wanganui Produce Centre, Alan Nixon, Flooring Design Whanganui, Fergus Reid, and my own team members Lion and Shannon.

A huge thank you to all the retail and food stores that participated on the night.

To our Mayor - Andrew Tripe, Ned Tapa and his team, Confucius Institute Fiona Mann for opening our event. Performances from NZCA Manawatu for the Lion and Dragon dance, Jessie Ling for the masterclass performance on GuZheng, local ladies for the traditional dance, KungFu from Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan, Reina Jones, Shirley McDouall School of Dance and McKenzie Tate for the beautiful dances, Yun Lu-Hosie and the singing performances. THANK YOU!

To our dedicated team members Beck Ding, Zen Lu, Mark Huang, Anthony, Sabrina, and their families, thank you for your hard work and dedication.

And of course, a round of applause to everyone who attended the event.

Last but not least, a big thank you to the weather gods for blessing us with a beautiful night. Phew... almost forgot to thank them! Here's hoping for good weather for our next event.

Without each and every one of you, this event wouldn't have been possible.

If I missed anyone, I apologise. At half a century old, and still feeling the exhaustion from the event, please forgive me.

29/04/2024

Oh yeah!

It's the Year of the Dragon.

28/04/2024

We'd like to extend our gratitude to Volunteer Whanganui (VW). The VW team graciously assisted with set-up on Friday and helped with the pull-down on Sunday morning. Their support was invaluable, marking the second year they've lent a hand. Their dedication spared us from potentially working through the night. They were always there when we needed them, never asking for anything in return.

Thank you once again; we thoroughly enjoyed working with you. A special mention goes to Sandra, the manager at VW, for effortlessly handling everything without a hitch. Thank you!

Volunteer Whanganui

27/04/2024

Thank you all for joining us at Lanterns on the Awa 2024. What an incredible night it was! We hope you had a fantastic time.

Today, we're reflecting on the event and planning for the future. We've identified areas for improvement, particularly in the process of selling paper lanterns and releasing them into the river. Dealing with tides and mud was a new challenge for us, but we're committed to enhancing this process for the next event.

Additionally, we'll be cleaning up the area starting at 9 a.m., including removing the lanterns and rubbishes.

Your forgiveness and understanding are greatly appreciated.

Thank you once again for being part of this event, and we look forward to seeing you again next year (or in two years).

26/04/2024

Thank you Rivercity Press

Lanterns on the Awa returns this Saturday

Lanterns on the Awa was first celebrated in 2021, with thousands covering the banks of the awa to enjoy the food, concert, the colour, and the lanterns. Unfortunately, in 2022, it was postponed four times and on the fifth attempt, it also rained, but it went ahead in the War Memorial Centre.

Organiser Lim Kai Teng Inc Creative Ltd has looked into some long-term weather forecasts, and this Saturday, 27 April, is looking good. So, expect a large crowd to be there.

As 2024 is the Chinese Year of the Dragon, there will be the famous Chinese dragon dance, as well as a Lion Dance, to be performed by representatives from the New Zealand Chinese Association Manawatu. There will be a range of entertainment, from the stage, which will be on the grass next to the Wanganui Produce Centre.

This will include dancers from the Shirley McDouall School of Dance performing ‘The Lotus’ Dance, accompanied by professional dancer McKenzie Tate. Thanks to the Confucius Institute in Wellington, there will be a performance on the Chinese musical instrument, the ‘guzheng’.

There will also be an Interactive Wall 4 metres long and 2.4 metres tall put together by Lim and his company, with which you can interact without needing any form of computer – just through your body.

Such an event attracting thousands needs a decent budget, but sponsorship can be difficult, and in the two previous years, Lim has made a loss, which he has personally made up. The main sponsors this year include GDM Retail (the biggest sponsor), GJ Gardner Homes, and Property Brokers.

Other local businesses are also supportive with PakN’Save providing $500 in vouchers and Mitre 10, $250 store credit. Bullocks is overseeing the road closure, GoFox power equipment and J.A. Russell Ltd are providing services at cost. Other supportive companies include 151 on London, Anndion Lodge and Scafit.
The lanterns have been supplied by our sister city in China – Lijiang – and Inc Creative provides all the cabling.

Having received permission from local iwi, the paper lanterns will be released over the awa – and will later be collected by Plumber Dan.

The festival starts at 5.30, with a recommendation to be there from 5pm and goes until 9.45. There will be food stalls as well as vendors selling souvenirs.

25/04/2024

Scafit team hard at work! Thank you Scafit!!!

25/04/2024

Details about the Paper Lanterns

Lotus-shaped paper lanterns and small candles will be available for purchase on-site at the event. Please refer to the attached images for a visual representation. Each set, comprising one paper lantern and one candle, costs $2. Sales will commence shortly after the dragon dance performance, at around 7:15 PM.

Procedure for releasing the paper lanterns:

Purchase the paper lanterns.
Join the dedicated queue.
Our helpful volunteers will assist in lighting your candle.
Release the lantern onto the river.
Please be patient as all our staff are volunteers, and we are striving to ensure a smooth operation. If there is a long queue, we kindly ask you to return a little later. We have almost 1,000 paper lanterns available.

And... cash only - SORRY.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Lanterns on the Awa Organiser Team

18/04/2024

Keep it this way and I am happy... don't turn bad though... You are allowed to become better but NOT worse!!!!!!!!!!!

28/03/2024

Happy Easter everyone. Hope you all have a good one.

25/03/2024

🎉 LotA Competition! 🎉

As part of our commitment to the Whanganui District Council and Whanganui and Partners, the local economic development agency, our event is geared towards engaging our community while also attracting visitors from beyond our region. We take pride in showcasing our picturesque city to your loved ones from across the nation. Our aspiration is to expand this event nationwide in the future. Therefore, this year, we're hosting a small competition with a single prize of $300 cash.

To participate, individuals must hail from outside the region and provide proof of residency, such as a driver's license with a photo and address or a statement indicating their address. Winners must be physically present onsite to claim the prize. For full details, please refer to our terms and conditions.

Encourage your friends and family residing beyond the Whanganui region to enter our competition at our website - https://www.lanternsontheawa.nz/ . Let's make this event a celebration to remember!



Whanganui & Partners Whanganui Venues & Events Discover Whanganui Whanganui News & events. Whanganui District Council Whanganui Online Whanganui High School

23/03/2024

🎉✨ Lanterns on the Awa 2024 - Sponsor's Spotlight ✨🎉

Today's post highlights our title sponsor, GDM Retail, where the firm firmly believes that > Good Design Matters.

The Lanterns on the Awa (LotA) event wouldn't be possible without GDM's sponsorship and support! This marks the second year of GDM's support for the LotA event. On behalf of the organizers and the Whanganui community, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support. Without you, there would be no LotA.

Did you know? GDM is New Zealand's leading retail space solution provider and manufacturer. Many nationwide retailers such as Mitre 10, The Warehouse Group, Hannahs, and more, rely on GDM for their retail fixtures, all produced right here in Whanganui - our little yet world-famous town. Please join me in expressing our appreciation to GDM for their invaluable support.

https://gdmretail.com/

GDM Retail Whanganui Venues & Events Whanganui News & events. Whanganui & Partners Discover Whanganui Bartley Group Holdings