Media
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For media enquiries and for interview opportunities with our performers and entertainers, please contact our Publicists:
Paul Blomfield PR
09 377 7533
7 March 2012
Earlybirds Get VIP Treatment at the All-New Coca-Cola Easter Show
From Thursday April 5th to Monday April 9th, Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds will be transformed into a massive fun-filled festival of entertainment for the whole family - and for those who plan ahead, a whole world of exciting entertainment is at hand.
Earlybirds who purchase tickets before the end of March for the All New Coca-Cola Easter Show, will get VIP treatment, including VIP Fast-Track Entry into Zirka Circus, plus a Free Car Parking Pass – both only available with ticket purchase during the Earlybird period.
Not only that, but Earlybirds who purchase with their Visa Card will go into the draw to win one of 20 Carnival Passes for three hours of unlimited rides in the Carnival area!
This year, for children aged 12 and under, entry to the All New Coca-Cola Easter Show is FREE* for the first time in its 161 year history (*one adult must accompany up to three children to gain entry to the show) and there are so many more attractions to keep the entire family entertained.
The basic ticket purchase includes:
• The out-of-this-world Zirka Circus; featuring death-defying acts and incredible group performances that defy gravity,
• The critically acclaimed 100% Kylie Show; starring top Australian act Lucy Holmes, performing all your favorite Kylie Minogue hits,
• SpottyWot and DottyWot from Pukeko Pictures’ preschool series, The WotWots, will be performing live shows daily,
• For the first time in New Zealand, everyone’s favourite Looney Tunes characters are coming and performing daily in Looney Tunes Live: Classroom Capers show,
• Internationally acclaimed lumberjack extravaganza that is The Canadian Bush Whackers Show,
• The Strong Man Competition, with some of the country’s strongest men showing awesome feats of strength,
• New Zealand’s biggest indoor arena of farm animals and A&P favourites showcasing all kinds of champion farm and domestic animals,
• And Spectacular Fireworks shows every night from Thursday to Sunday.
All- New Coca-Cola Easter Show Chief Executive Officer Mark Frankham believes 2012 sets a bold new direction of New Zealand’s most historic family day out.
“This year we’ve really challenged ourselves to search out and bring the very best in family entertainment to Auckland, from both around the country and the world exclusively for the Coca-Cola Easter Show,” says Frankham.
“Don’t leave town this Easter - you really don’t want to miss this!”
All–New Coca-Cola Easter Show
Thursday April 5th to Monday April 9th
10am – 10pm Thursday to Sunday
10am – 6pm Monday
Tickets available now through Ticketek
www.eastershow.co.nz
For all media and press enquires contact PR Consultant; Paul Blomfield; 021 970 871, paul@paulblomfield.com
26 February 2012
Call for entries to the Coca-Cola Easter Show Art Awards 2012
Calling all artists! You have until 29 February to get your entries in for The Coca-Cola Easter Show Art Awards 2012.
Open to artists of all ages, amateur and professional, The Coca-Cola Easter Show Art Awards is New Zealand’s largest open art competition.
This year we are especially honoured to announce in celebration of the Queens Diamond Jubilee, the Coca-Cola Easter Show has been granted the use of the official emblem to commemorate this historic event. All competition winners will receive a commemorative rosette with the official emblem.
With a total prize pool of over $40,000 and a wide range of categories open to artists of all levels of experience and expertise, the competition attracts around 2,000 entries.
There are painting and photography sections, along with printmaking, ceramics and pottery, glass, wearable glass and woodcraft. Also included is a section for youth aged 10-18 years in the painting and ceramic sections.
This year’s competition theme is ‘Today and Tomorrow’ which has been chosen to continue on from last years theme ‘Past and Present’.
All entries will be on display for the duration of The Coca-Cola Easter Show, which runs from 5-9 April 2012 at the ASB Showgrounds, with most pieces also up for sale at reasonable prices.
For a full schedule and entry forms please contact The Coca-Cola Easter Show office,
09 638 9969 or download entry forms at www.eastershow.co.nz
22 February 2012
Coca-Cola Easter Show Wine Awards 2012
Resurgence of Chardonnay, with 16 gold medals, has been a feature of the 59th Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2012 judged at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland over the weekend, 17-19 February. The awards are New Zealand’s oldest and longest running national wine competition. Chair of judges, Kate Radburnd, of Hawkes Bay, said Chardonnay’s return to prominence was due partly to an exceptional vintage year in 2010, but also to New Zealand winemakers becoming more refined in their handling of the variety with greater finesse in the wines and restraint in oak influence. “There has been better diversity of styles from fruit driven wines through to more complex barrel fermented styles.”
Top gold medal winning variety with 20 was Sauvignon Blanc, which accounts for over 80 per cent of New Zealand’s 1.1 billion dollar exports. Next in prominence was Pinot Noir with 19 golds, confirming the continuing growth in importance of this red variety to the New Zealand wine sector.
Ms Radburnd was also impressed with the overall standard of Syrah entries, which won 13 golds. “Syrah was a solid achiever from a small number of entries, and was notable for its overall high standard by the very small number of no-award entries.”
Australian deputy chair of judges, Mike DeGaris was impressed by the standard of aromatic whites, especially the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers, but said that there was still room for improvement in the handling of Pinot Gris. However, there was a notable uplift in the standard of methode traditionnelle sparking wines which for the first time in the show’s history, won six gold medals.
Co-directors of the awards, Shona White, and Terry Dunleavy, the latter in his 20th year of the show’s direction said that the number of entries in 2012, at 1261, were significantly down from the previous year’s 1543, due mainly to recent turbulence in the wine sector, combined with difficult economic conditions which have seen reduction in entries to recent wine competitions in both Australia and New Zealand. Medal percentages and numbers with 2011 figures in brackets were: Gold medals, 8.8%, 111 (119), silver 15.7%, 198 (261), bronze 39.4%, 497 (536).
www.wineshow.co.nz.
Trophy winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner at the ASB Showgrounds on 17 March. Tickets for this degustation dinner at which trophy wines will be served may be obtained by emailing: emma@asbshowgrounds.co.nz, or phoning Emma Reading at 09 638 9969
22 February 2012
The stunning all-new Coca-Cola Easter Show gets set to wow crowds this Easter break
Five spectacular days of non-stop entertainment will make the ASB Showgrounds the place to be this Easter when the all-new 2012 Coca-Cola Easter Show comes to town, Thursday April 5th to Monday April 9th.
With amazing new attractions, a completely redesigned layout and, for the first time in the 161 year history of the event, FREE entry* for all children under the age of 12, the Coca-Cola Easter Show is the perfect way to celebrate the long weekend.
Coca-Cola Easter Show Chief Executive Officer Mark Frankham believes 2012 sets a new direction of New Zealand’s most historic family day out.
“Almost every Aucklander has a special place in their heart for the Easter Show,” says Mark.
“This year we’ve really challenged ourselves to search out and bring the very best in family entertainment to Auckland, from both around the country and the world. And with free entry for children under 12, we’re expecting that Aucklanders will want to stay in town to visit the show – rather than fight gridlock to somewhere else!” he said.
Highlights of the 2012 Coca-Cola Easter Show include the out-of-this-world Zirka Circus, featuring death defying acts and incredible group performances that defy gravity! Entrance to the daily shows will be FREE for kids and adults with ticket purchase.
For the first time ever, the 100% Kylie Show is coming to town. Starring top Australian act Lucy Holmes, this Kylie Minogue tribute show has received international critical acclaim and entrance to the daily shows will be also be FREE with ticket purchase.
Always a favourite of Auckland ‘townies’, the Coca-Cola Easter Show will once again bring the country to the city with the biggest animal zone in New Zealand on show all Easter weekend. 12,000 sq meters will showcase all kinds of champion farm and domestic animals, sheep shearing competitions and a petting zoo, little ones will be able to learn all about farm animals and their importance and value to daily life.
The Logan Campbell Centre will be a kid’s utopia over the Easter weekend with performances by top international children’s show The WotWots and Looney Tunes characters taking place daily – again, all FREE for kids to enter.
Cultural elements of the Coca-Cola Easter Show include live shows daily from top Polynesian Groups from around the region performing on the Cultural Stage.
Those that enjoy the finer things in life need to check out the entries of the stunning Art Show Awards – New Zealand’s largest, and the critically acclaimed Wine Award winners inside Pavilion 6 (up next to old main Greenlane Rd entrance) the ASB Showgrounds.
Live life to the extreme in the Carnival Ride area of the Coca-Cola Easter Show; featuring some of the best bust-a-gut fun rides you could dare to try including the Turbo Boost ride, back for its second hair raising year.
To top it all off, the Coca-Cola Easter Show will end Friday, Saturday and Sunday night with a bang thanks to the firework extravaganza.
“To say that we’re looking forward to this years show is an understatement’ says Mark “We have some of the best acts in the world coming to Auckland exclusively for the Coca-Cola Easter Show – you don’t want to miss this!”
*One adult must accompany up to three children to gain entry to the show.
The Coca-Cola Easter Show
Thursday April 5th to Monday April 9th
10am – 10pm Thursday to Sunday
10am – 6pm Monday
Tickets available now through Ticketek
www.eastershow.co.nz
For event information contact; Chief Executive Officer Mark Frankham; mark@asbshowgrounds.co.nz
For all media and press enquires contact PR Consultant; Paul Blomfield; 021 970 871, paul@paulblomfield.com