Street party to celebrate city milestones

When models take to the catwalk for the annual Wintec fashion show in Alexandra Street on November 22 they will be just one attraction on offer.

This year’s show coincides with a central city street party that will stretch between Ward and Hood streets in honour of the city’s 150th birthday.

The celebrations will start at 3pm and will offer a range of attractions such as live entertainment, carnival rides, markets, vintage cars, and food stalls.

The fashion show will start at 5.30pm under a marquee in Alexandra Street.

“Every year I try to do something quite different,” Wintec’s Programme Manager of Fashion Design Julie Ashby said. Although ticket holders still will be able to sit and view the show, the street will remain open to pedestrian traffic so the public can also watch.

Ashby says the decision to hold the Wintec fashion show in the street made sense.

“We want to celebrate that Wintec is in Alexandra Street – that Wintec is in the city,” Ashby said. This year also marks Wintec’s 90th anniversary.

The family friendly celebrations will conclude at 9pm with fireworks before the party heads to Embassy Park to celebrate yet another Hamilton milestone – the 10th birthday of the Riff Raff statue.

Embassy Park Working Group member Mark Servian said the audience can expect entertainment by percussive group SambaTron, the Hot & Flustered Shadowcast and the Hellmilton Roller Ghouls. Later, Richard O’Brien will take to the stage with a backing band to lead the audience in a massive Time Warp.

Renovation of the park is well underway in anticipation of the event with a large mural already completed by local artist Jeremy Shirley. The mural depicts both Rocky Horror Show iconography and the Edwardian façade of the old Embassy Theatre that once occupied the space.

Working Group member and Snapshot Cameras owner Graham Boswell said they were lucky to have such a passionate artist on board. The response to the new mural had been really positive and people coming to his shop were “just rapt with it”.

The installation of metal art by Marti Wong to cover gas meters is also expected before the event, as is seating, and screening for the toilets on site.

After 11pm the celebrations will continue on Hood Street where local bars have embraced the Rocky Horror Show theme.