Teaser for Fringe Festival as first Cuba Street Summer Series kicks off
Monday, 24 February 2025
Cafes and shops brought their seating and merchandise outside as a section of Cuba St was blocked off on Sunday to host artists in a teaser for the remaining two weeks of the Fringe Festival.
It was the first year of the Cuba Street Summer Series run by Creative Capital Arts Trust, supported by the Wellington City Council.
Creative Capital Arts Trust also produced CubaDupa and New Zealand Fringe.
Fringe on the Street was held on Sunday, showcasing 16 artists from the Fringe Festival, including dance, theatre, comedy and a karaoke van reflecting the variety of the festival.
“There's opportunities to see something new, see something kind of weird and wonderful and very Wellington, as opposed to just your normal Sunday on a summer day,” Catarina Gutierrez, Creative Capital Arts Trust marketing director said.
“That's a unique experience for Fringe to be out on the street really showcasing what emerging talent is coming to the city.”
Families were out eating ice creams at tables running down the middle of the street, while others browsed shops and ate at cafes and restaurants on tables outside.
Fringe Festival director Vanessa Stacey said Edinburgh’s Royal Mile was a staple and a highlight of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and that inspired Wellington’s event.
“It’s so wonderful to invite our New Zealand Fringe artists to Cuba St to celebrate the festival.”
Wellington local Lisa Dugdale said she was interested to see what the event would be, given it was also seen as a precursor to CubaDupa which she went to every year.
She enjoyed having lunch out on the street.
“I always like it, the weird things that are going on in Wellington.”
Darryl Torino and Aisha Ahmed enjoyed catching up in the sun at a table.
“Sitting on Cuba St is nice, it’s always so hectic,” Torino said. “This is chill.”
The Cuba Street Summer Series activated the street in a whole new way, Gutierrez said.
“We're hoping to bring some more business to the vendors on the streets that need it after a tough year, and want to celebrate just the joy that is Wellington.”
She hoped it would encourage further engagement with the festival, along with the next two parts of the Cuba Street Summer Series ‒ PARK(ing) Day on March 1, with Wellington Sculpture Trust turning car parks into temporary exhibition and performance spaces, and CubaDupa Pre-Party on March 23.