Second Hawkswood festival

Press, 18 February 1983, Page 3

Second Hawkswood festival

City dwellers in pursuit of a cultural week-end will join their North Canterbury country cousins at Parnassus this evening and tomorrow evening for a mixture of ballet, modern dance, cabaret, jazz, and comedy. The second annual Hawkswood festival will be held at the week-end at the North Canterbury farm of the Macfarlane family. 130 km north of Christchurch and Bkm north of Par- nassus.

Last year, 260 people attended the festival. Many of them were “locals" living nearby. A few came from Christchurch.

Once again, Parnassus and Cheviot people are enthusiastic about the festival, and are expected to turn up in force. But this year, the Macfarlanes hope that more Christchurch people will attend. As well as entertainment, fes-tival-goers will be able to enjoy bush walks, swimming, croquet on the lawn, and all the joys of a week-end in the country.

Visitors will be able to bring their own tents and caravans if they wish, since the Macfarlanes have cleared a three-acre site near the house. The site has flush toilets and showers, but no electricity. The family believes it will be able to cater for a maximum of 501) people. Entertainment will begin at 8 p.m. today with performances by the Southern Ballet, of Christchurch, and Limbs Dance Company, of Auckland. They will perform on the main stage, bought by the Macfarlanes from a nowdemolished community hall in the district. Limbs and Southern Ballet will perform again tomorrow, beginning at 7.30 p.m. After a late dinnerincluded in the ticket price, and provided by Continental Caterers—guests will be entertained by a cabaret and floor show on a smaller stage, built above the Hawkswood farm swimming pool. Yvonne Martin will sing, David McPhail will compere, Jon Gadsby will entertain, Malcolm McNeill will sing, and the Southern Ballet will cancan on this smaller stage. Afterwards, Janice Gray and her six-piece band will provide the cabaret and backing for dancing until dawn. A specially built bar will sell drinks.

Tickets cost $l5 for today ($5 for children), and $35 for Saturday ($l5 children), which includes the dinner but

not alcohol. Tickets for both nights are $45 ($l5 for children). Tickets are available at the Town Hall booking office. Visitors from Christchurch or elsewhere who do not want to use the camping ground at Hawkswood can stay in nearby motels, arrange billets nearby, or sleep on camp stretchers in the big marquee erected on the festival site. The Macfarlanes say that the festival will be held rain or shine, "or even if it snows." The marquee will provide some cover, but if the weather is bad, the festival will be transferred to the Cheviot Community Hall. However, the weather forecast is promising, and visitors to Hawkswood this week-end will undoubtedly be treated to some of the "magic" that "The Press" reviewer found there last year.

“One could not imagine a more attractive setting, with the Seaward Kaikouras looking as though they had been painted on blue silk” when “for one glorious week-end.

the Muses reoccupied Parnassus—not Parnassus, Greece, but the real Parnassus. near Cheviot." the reviewer said. Parnassus takes its name from a sheep station run by a classical scholar. Edward James Lee. He named his property after the mountain which was revered by the ancient Greeks as the abode of Apollo and the Muses.