Osmanthus Lantern Festival,
Last term, some of our talented Iona College students proudly supported the Hawke's Bay community and more specifically our Chinese community.
Hastings is home to the Osmanthus Lantern Festival, now in its 15th year. The gardens and festival celebrate the first Sister City relationship with a city in China - Guilin. Year by year, more lights, lanterns, and lighting installations are added, creating a magical atmosphere that is appreciated by huge crowds of around 25,000 from Hastings and beyond.
This year, Iona students Elizabeth Guo and Olivia Kee, supported by Grace Gao, along with sisters Hayley and Janice Xu, played traditional Chinese music on the piano keyboard and violin. The students looked stunning in their traditional dress, and it was a delight to see them sharing their talents with the broader community.
Hastings District Council reported that “Their violin and keyboard renditions added depth and authenticity to the evening’s cultural programme”.
To read the Council’s story, click this link, and to view the stunning photo gallery of the festival, click here.
Council Story
Photo Gallery
Article added: Thursday 26 June 2025
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