Pride week set to be bigger and better

Wanaka’s LGBTQIA+ community will be celebrating again this month. (The acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual. The + holds space for expanding and new understandings of different parts of the very diverse gender and sexual identities.) PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Wānaka will be showing its true colours this month when the town’s first Wānaka Pride Week and second OUT&about Wānaka Pride Street Party get under way.

The OUT&about Wānaka charitable trust launched in August following the success of last year’s one-off street party and has been expanded into a week-long festival that runs from November 11 to 16.

Festival director Oliver Harcus said in a statement this week OUT&about Wānaka was thrilled to announce the formation of its registered charity and the week-long event.

"The team is excited to bring the Wānaka community a week filled with love, joy and inclusivity, making this year's event bigger and brighter than ever before ... This year, we celebrate love and community.

OUT&about festival director Oliver Harcus.

"It’s been a huge journey for OUT&about Wānaka, evolving from a grassroots organisation to an officially registered charity. We're doing this to make sure our rainbow rangatahi feel seen and celebrated," he said.

Festivities start on Monday, November 11, with the Queer Film Festival, showcasing a selection of New Zealand and Australian short films.

Other events during the week include discussions and refreshments at Rhyme X Reason, a Living Library event (where participants engage in honest conversations with local rainbow community members) and a free Rainbow Awareness Training Session hosted by Pride Pledge, include Pride Bingo, hosted by Lady Bubbles, glitzy performances and Drag Karaoke.

Mr Harcus said the in-person sessions were designed to build understanding and support for the rainbow community and foster a safe and inclusive environment in Wānaka.

The biggest event is the Pride Street Party on Saturday, November 16.

Mr Harcus said this would transform Wānaka into a whānau-friendly showcase of pride, with three entertainment stages, food trucks, face painting, and performances from local artists, including poets, musicians, comedians, dancers and drag queens.

The week concludes with a high-energy Pride After Dark party on Saturday night at the Lake Wānaka Centre, with performances by DJs, go-go dancers, drag queens, aerialists and burlesque performers.

Behind the scenes, the trust has been working this year with community groups to develop programmes supporting social wellbeing, parents and caregivers and wider networks.

That had built on the hard work of other local rainbow programmes, such as Queers & Beers and Wānaka’s newest social group, Queer Quarterly Reads.

The trust has also been working with insideOUT to provide educational workshops to a wide selection of Wānaka’s youth workers, teachers, and caregivers.