Funding approved for three iconic Kāpiti events

The Council has approved one-off funding for three significant events to be held in Kāpiti this year.  The grants were approved today by the Environment and Community Development Committee.

The recipients were the Ōtaki Kite Festival , which got $8,000 for promoting the yearly event, being held this year on  5 & 6 March, and for providing a bus services from Waikanae Railway Station. 

The Māoriland film Festival received $32,000 and $10,000 was granted to a proposed new event, the Coastella International Music Festival. Both events are being held over Easter.

Events development has been identified as a key driver in achieving long term economic development for the Kāpiti District. In December, the Kāpiti EventsPlan 2015-2018 was adopted as an action plan for supporting and leading major events that bring economic benefits to Kāpiti. The Events Plan will focus on choosing recipients that can demonstrate their activity will benefit the district.  Because the detailed funding criteria won’t be finalised until April and the Ōtaki events are scheduled for March, decisions on these events were brought forward. 

Committee Chair and Ōtaki ward councillor Penny Gaylor says she was delighted that two of the events are Ōtaki-based. 

“The Māoriland Film Festival is the largest indigenous Film Festival in the southern hemisphere and attracts film makers from all over the world and the Ōtaki Kite Festival also pulls in the crowds - apparently 15,000 visitors last year.  These events are unique to the district and enhance Kapiti’s reputation as a diverse, vibrant and thriving district.” 

Councillor Gaylor says the Coastella International Music Festival  is a new event that also has the potential to become an iconic Kāpiti occasion.

Visitor Attraction Plan for District adopted

The Council’s Environment and Community Development Committee today approved and adopted a plan to attract more visitors to Kāpiti.

The Visitor Attraction Plan 2016-18, part of the district’s Economic Development Strategy, aims to guide  Council’s decision making and investment in activities that will enable Kāpiti to become a successful visitor destination centre and achieve the  economic spin offs from higher  visitor numbers.

More than 100 individuals from 60 organisations  provided input into developing the plan.