Organising committee member Timikuka Walker said this year’s free variety performance in Te Pou Ō Mata-Au-Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre’s auditorium aimed to bring all cultures from every corner of the district together in shared celebration and warmth.
"One of the values of Puaka Matariki is simply taking a break and resetting your life.
"We want the community to join together in this fantastic venue, relax and enjoy some of the performances from their family, friends and neighbours."
He said the festival had grown each year since it was launched in 2024.
This year visitors could drop in and out of an all-day programme of 25 musical and dance performances from diverse local groups, from 10am.
Food trucks and stalls would be available, and Sport Otago would be running traditional Māori games (tākaro) upstairs all day.
Organising committee member Tiffany Jenks said the programme would include waiata and kapa haka, and cultural, musical and dance performances from groups including Filipino, Kiribati, Pacific Islander, and local rest-homes, care facilities, schools and dance academies.
Entries from a Matariki-themed youth art competition would also be on display in the venue, she said.
"We’re hoping the event is a wonderful day of creativity, expression, manaaki and kotahitanga [support and togetherness] for the district once more."
