AmCup Celebration in Queen Street

For those of you who either could not attend the Auckland welcome to New Zealand's America's Cup heroes (men and women), or you were in the rain down by the Viaduct - here is a little video I made of what I saw in Queen Street. What's special is the variety of music and the feel....


See if you can spot the group whose big bass drum includes the line: "CITY OF SAILS"...

There was such a lovely vibe.... and after the parade had gone past, everybody wanted to walk in the street and enjoy it as a pedestrian environment.

One day Auckland will discover and value and give pride of place downtown to its cultures and their different expressions as live performance and street theatre. (I wrote about this here 3 years ago.) We'll get there when those in charge appreciate that Auckland's City Centre needs to be prioritised for Auckland citizens rather than primarily for visitors and tourists.

The most attractive cities internationally to visit and to tour might have stunning architecture, cultural centres and sights - but its what the local population create and express and how they play and have fun - that is the real magnet for the modern traveller.

People attract people.