Acclaimed Kiwi comedian Michelle A'Court, a burlesque studio based in Wellington called L'Amour, and East Coast artist and weaver Fiona Collis, who will be leading a workshop in working with harakeke (flax), are the latest attractions confirmed for the Shepherdess Muster near Gisborne in February. Founder Kristy McGregor describes the Muster, running from February 17-19 at Motu, Te Tairawhiti, as a three-day festival that gives hardworking rural women the chance to "relax, create and have a laugh with friends".
She says other programme highlights include Kiwi sex therapist Jo Robertson, who will speak at the inaugural festival on all things sex, love and relationships. Robertson has a private therapeutic practice specialising in female sexual dysfunction and relationship breakdown but is possibly best known for her TEDx talk in 2019 titled "Why we need to talk about porn".
Artist Kelly Spencer, known for a style characterised by bright and retro-fresh colour palettes and curvaceous forms, will be live painting a large-scale mural during the Muster.
MC for the event will be Trudy Hales, who with her husband farms a 970ha sheep and beef property at Weber, 30km east of Dannevirke. The farm has been part of her husband's family for four generations, and their two boys, Rocky and Alby, will be fifth generation on the land.
Start your property search
McGregor says more workshops, live music, speakers, market stalls, beauty providers, and health services are set to be announced soon "so attendees can focus on themselves for the weekend, away from the juggle of rural life".
"The event is a chance for women to get away from it all and concentrate on themselves for three days."
She says general attendance tickets have been set at $449 a person to cover food, entertainment and workshops throughout the three days. Accommodation is a BYO tent, camper van or horse float - but a twin-share tented accommodation option is available for an extra $200 - and there will be a cash bar on site.
Women from Te Tairawhiti, Wairoa or Opotiki local, are eligible for a special ticket price of $349 a person, while corporate tickets are $649 a person.
McGregor says the programme is designed to give rural women a chance to have a go at something they don't usually have time for, to use their hands to create, get a massage and simply enjoy having delicious food made for them.
"The aim of the event is for festival goers to leave feeling refreshed, energised with a new stash of tools in the toolbox to take on life's challenges."
National organisations from across the rural sector have come on board to support the festival, including the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust, Rabobank and the Ministry for Primary Industries and Beef + Lamb NZ.
