13 September 2024, Issue 1227
Chilean vibes “We wait all year long for this big event,” laughed organiser Marcela Rodriguez. “The Chilean Independence Festival is happy, friendly, and high energy with plenty of traditional food, music and dancing. We love to share what we’re
doing with the rest of the world.” Chilean Independence Days is in recognition of Chileans in their home country fighting for independence from Spain on September 18, 1810. It is now a week-long public holiday in Chile.
This year, in Tauranga, the occasion is being marked with a day of festivities at Pāpāmoa’s Gordon Spratt Reserve on Saturday, September 14. From 11am on September 14, festivalgoers are invited to bring a picnic blanket
to enjoy a full day of market stalls and Chilean food trucks, including a barbecue with El Jefe meats, Mount Delice artisan ice creams, ceviche, empanadas, churros and sweets while watching performances on the stage. Read more on page 7. Photo: John Borren.