Porirua City Brass will perform a free outdoor concert at Aotea Lagoon this Saturday, offering a relaxed afternoon of live music for all ages.
The concert starts at 2pm on Saturday, January 31, at the new outdoor stage in the former rose garden area of Aotea Lagoon. The performance is expected to run for about an hour.
The programme features upbeat brass music designed to appeal to a broad audience, with a mix of well-known tunes, light classics and popular favourites. The informal format means people can listen casually while walking past or sit and enjoy the full performance.
Porirua City Brass has been part of the city’s cultural life since 1970, when it was formed as the City of Porirua Municipal Band. Today, the volunteer band has about 33 brass and percussion players and competes nationally in the B Grade.
The band is conducted by Nicholas Garrett, who first joined as a young player and has since represented Porirua in national and international youth and senior bands. Several members of the Porirua Youth Band, aged 12 to 15, will also perform with the band for the first time.
Sally Garrett said free outdoor concerts were an important way to make live music accessible and connect with the wider community.
“Playing in a public space like Aotea Lagoon helps bring people together and adds to the vibrancy of Porirua’s shared spaces,” she said.
The summer concert has become a regular event, with families, walkers and picnickers stopping to enjoy the music in previous years.
People are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets or portable seating. The concert is weather dependent, with a rain date set for Sunday, February 1, at 2pm. Updates will be shared on the Porirua City Brass Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/PoriruaCityBrass)
The band will compete at the National Brass Band Championships in Wellington over Easter and is fundraising toward a goal of attending the 2027 Australian National Brass Band Championships in Melbourne.