NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST WORLD PARTY is THIS WEEKEND! - Updated 14/3/12

Gather your friends and family together and head to one of the world's most stunning venues for a three-day celebration of music and global culture.

We've talked a lot about the music but there are also some great films showing under the stars at the intimate Pinetum stage including new and classic Kiwi movies. See the details here.
The full music schedule is here.

... And Groove will be there - DJ's Dean, Jarek and the Coffeebar kid will be on the ground reporting with Live Crosses to the Studio, and featuring tunes and interviews all WOMAD Weekend. What's more we are giving away 3 day tickets and Camping passes now so you can join us! Stay tuned to Groove 107.7FM to get them. (Value: $236 for 3 day pass and $54 for camping).


Travel deal Here's a special offer for WOMAD-goers for the festival weekend.

Go to Nakedbus.com to make your bus booking, and if the current fare price is more the $29.99 then use the promotion code 46493939. This will ensure that you do not pay anymore then $29.99 (each way + booking fee) when travelling to/from New Plymouth for the festival. For Wellingtonians, the bus leaves at 7.30am on Friday and gets to the festival at 2.20pm. Read more info on this website Bus to Womad.

And a little history ....

WOMAD was founded in 1980 by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Brooman, Bob Hooton, Stephen Pritchard, Martin Elbourne and Jonathan Arthur.

The first WOMAD festival was in Shepton Mallet, UK in 1982. The audience saw Peter Gabriel, Don Cherry, The Beat, Drummers of Burundi, Echo and The Bunnymen, Imrat Khan, Prince Nico M' barga, Simple Minds, Suns of Arqa and Ekome amongst others performing. Since 1982 WOMAD Festivals has travelled all over the world, bringing artists to numerous locations and entertaining over one million people.
WOMAD New Zealand 2012 is the eighth WOMAD to be held at the stunning New Plymouth site in Taranaki. Prior to shifting to New Plymouth WOMAD NZ occured twice in Auckland.

Ethos    From the outset, the WOMAD name has reflected the festival’s idea; to be embracing but non-definitive, inspiring and outward looking; and more than anything, enthusiastic about a world that has no boundaries in its ability to communicate through music and movement.
WOMAD has always presented music that they felt to be of excellence, passion and individuality, regardless of musical genre or geographical origin. WOMAD encourages collaboration amongst the artists they invite to perform.

Adult workshops are taken by the musicians and will involve dance, musical instruments and discussions. Children's workshops involve painting, circus skills, graffiti, modelling, story telling and more.

Taste The World     Musicians cook a choice of dish from their home country in front of an audience. Global Market. The Global Market sells international food and wares.

WOMAD in the UK takes place in the grounds of Charlton Park, a stately home in Wiltshire. The arena holds at least 8 stages with a further one in the Arboretum. An old fashioned steam fair, global market, children's area, wellbeing section is also found on the WOMAD UK festival site.

WOMAD happens in:
WOMADelaide, Adelaide, South Australia. WOMAD New Zealand, Taranaki, New Zealand. WOMAD Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi. UAE WOMAD Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. WOMAD Sicily, Sicily, Italy. WOMAD Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.

For more information go to http://www.womad.co.nz/