Business boom anticipated for K Road festival

November 11, 2016

Business boom anticipated for K Road festival

Karangahape Road will host this year's Open Streets Festival. Photo: Sieska Verdonk

Businesses on Karangahape Road expect a busy afternoon despite the street being closed to traffic for a festival this Sunday.

The Open Streets Festival event, run by Auckland Council and the K Road Business Association, will close the road to traffic from midday to 7pm in a bid to promote walking, cycling, and plans for a cycleway along K Road.

The road will be closed from the intersection with Queen Street through to Ponsonby Road. It will be the first time the thoroughfare is closed to traffic in 10 years.

Colleen Pugh, manager of K Road art store Matchbox, said they were expecting more people to come through the store and would be running a workshop. “We will be workshopping watermelon pom poms,” she explained.

Manager of arts and craft store Buana Satu, Yudi Yono, agreed there could be an increase in foot traffic and said he expected the festival would be “good for K Road”.

Fellow business manager Rachel Rowlands, of clothing and gift store Monster Threads, said the promotion of cycling as part of the event was great.

“I cycle everywhere, and I use the cycle lanes wherever I can," said Mrs Rowlands. “It will be better when K Road becomes more people and cycle friendly.”

Included in the itinerary for the day is an Auckland treasure hunt by bike, and performances by the Auckland Street Choir and cabaret impresario Mike Haka. The ‘Queens of Karangahape Road’ football tournament will also be in action throughout the day.

The ‘Twice as Nice Markets’ will operate along the road too.

The Open Streets Festival drew more than 20,000 people to Quay Street last year according to Auckland Council.

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