Trees at the Meteor Celebrates Tenth Year

Hamilton’s iconic Christmas event is returning to The Meteor Theatre for its tenth year on December 14.

Since its inception in 2008 Trees at the Meteor has become a Christmas tradition for many Hamiltonians who turn up in droves every year to see what the community has created.

“Trees at the Meteor is a concept that’s proven itself year after year” says the Trees at the Meteor team. “It makes young kids crack a smile and more jaded citizens feel Christmasy again.”

A family-friendly community event, Trees at the Meteor “is a super-festive forest of what Christmas means to Hamilton” says Trees at the Meteor founder, Dave White

Running for six days, Trees at the Meteor provides an opportunity for the public to view and vote for their favourite trees. With five different categories of trees and around 50 trees to choose from, this is no easy task.

Tree categories include: Gadget trees, interactive trees that move, Recycled trees- trees made from 80% recycled materials, Kiwiana trees- a visual representation of Christmas in New Zealand, Avant Garde trees- innovative, original and novelty trees, and last and littlest Mini trees- trees no more than 200mm tall.

With a longstanding theme of ‘compassion not consumption’ The Meteor team are overjoyed to be hosting Trees at the Meteor once more for its tenth instalment.

“We absolutely love Trees at The Meteor!” says theatre manager Deborah Nudds. “Created for and by the community, Trees at The Meteor embodies everything we value at The Meteor, affordable, accessible, creative, family-friendly, community arts events!”

As well as the annual Trees event, there is also a return feature; the Christmas Building Project, a projected artwork by Wintec tutors/projection artists Luke McConnell and Jordan Foster on the exterior of Saint Peter’s Cathedral, next to The Meteor. A free event, featuring a five-minute-long projection show (on a continuous loop), accompanied with an original soundtrack composed by Wintec tutor Jason Long, the projections are the perfect pre or post Trees at the Meteor experience.

Just like Trees at the Meteor’s ‘Compassion not Consumption’,

“the overall hope of the projections on the Cathedral is that it will bring Hamiltonians together with themes that resonate more spiritually than a blatant shop – till – you drop Christmas”, says projection artist Jordan Foster.

There’s no doubt that with Trees at the Meteor AND The Christmas Building Project, that Christmas on the South End (of Victoria Street) is set to be brighter than ever!

Trees at The Meteor will be on at The Meteor Theatre, 1 Victoria St from 14th–19th December, 7:00pm-10:00pm, $6pp/$20 per family group. Christmas Building Project will be on at Saint Peter’s Cathedral, also from December 14-19, sunset – 11pm, FREE.

More information can be found at www.treesatmeteor.co.nz