Mask Parade & Carnivale - Nelson Arts Festival

Join us for the 25th Nelson Mask Parade! Make this the biggest opening night celebration for the Nelson Arts Festival yet, celebrating 25 years!

The theme for this year is Discovery! From Kupe to Cook to Curie, da Vinci to Darwin to Dora the Explorer, we want everyone to show off what discovery means to them.

We’re calling on schools, community groups and individuals to make masks, make costumes, and most importantly, make a big 25th birthday to-do for the Mask Parade! And we invite everyone else to come along and see the magic of discovering Nelson, Aotearoa, the world and the universe!

Entry is free and open to all, including community groups, businesses, families, individuals and, of course, school groups of all ages. There are prizes for individual, pre-school group, school group and non-school group. Plus, there is the Kim Merry Supreme Award for the overall winner.

Please enrol online in advance to be eligible for prizes.

Assembly Area: Montgomery Square
Parade Route: Montgomery Square onto Bridge Street, Trafalgar Street, Hardy Street, Morrison Street, Selwyn Place, Church Street, across Hardy Street to Montgomery Square.

Presented by Nelson Arts Festival
Proudly supported by Rata Foundation, Nelson Youth Council, Creative New Zealand and Resene