Parnell Celebrates Year of the Monkey 2016

1. CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS PARNELL CELEBRATES THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY 2016

2. The well known Auckland Lantern Festival is moving to The Domain, right next door to Parnell. Parnell Inc. is capitalising on this event by welcoming all followers of Chinese New Year celebrations and the Lantern Festival into Parnell. Our concept is designed to bring together the creative community in Parnell and honour the Chinese community by celebrating the Chinese Zodiac Animal sign of the incoming year – the Year of the Monkey.

3. 2016 is the Year of the Fire Monkey, followed by the Year of the Rooster (2017), the Dog (2018) and the Pig (2019). All of which provide a fantastic opportunity to start an annual signature event that will drive visitors to Parnell for 2 weeks each February. We are working in co-operation with ATEED who organise the Lantern Festival, as well as the Auckland Museum.

4. ATEED is going to supply us with lanterns and Parnell Inc. will decorate the street with colourful banners. The Chinese Consulate is also lending us lanterns. Parnell Inc. will do extensive marketing and PR, but for the event to truly be a success, Parnell businesses need to get involved. Parnell Road will become a ‘monkey sanctuary’, with a mini sanctuary on The Strand, exhibiting monkey artpieces. These will then be auctioned for charity – the Starship Children’s Air Ambulance Service.

5. The dates for 2016 are as follows. • Chinese New Year festivities begin with the new moon on the first day of the new year and continue for 23 days. • So Chinese New Year begins on the 8th February (after Waitangi Day). • We will run our festivites from 6-21 February. • The Lantern Festival takes place from 18-21 February. • Via our connection with ATEED, we have sourced a Lion Dance Troupe to perform in Heard Park on Saturday 13 February, 12.30pm & 2.30pm.

6. Inspiration for monkeys comes in all forms, including merchandise and window displays. Galleries, retailers and hospitality outlets can all be involved. From paintings, home décor items, T Shirts, mugs, soft toys, puzzles, menu items to most sculpture and artwork. Led by the galleries we will have an exhibition of monkey sculptures that will be auctioned for charity.

8. In a similar vein to the Elephant, Cow or Rhino Parade, fibreglass or resin animals are sourced on which artists can paint their creations. http://www.elephantparade.com/), (http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/) or the Cow Parade (http://www.cowparade.com/)

9. Parnell Inc. have sourced 30 life-sized resin monkeys which have been distributed to artists via our galleries and a few celebrities and then sold via an auction. We envisage having a silent online auction over the 2 week period of the event, and then a final auction on Saturday 12th March ( White Night). We have chosen Starship Foundation – the children’s national air ambulance service as a charity that can benefit from the proceeds of the auction.

10. RETAILERS All retailers are encouraged to source ‘monkey-themed’ product where possible for sale and include monkeys of all sorts in their window displays. There is a competition for the best window display. The winner will receive one week of free radio advertising. Visitors and shoppers to Parnell can enter the ‘Find the Monkey’ competition via parnell.net.nz. Fill your shop with monkeys! A minimum of at least one monkey per store please - even if it’s a monkey toy on your counter. You can also include a Chinese Lantern in your window display.

11. There is an endless range of souvenirs and other merchandise available and we encourage retailers to order some items now. Mobile phone covers, cookie cutters, key rings, inflatable monkeys! Check out Mighty Ape www.mightyape.co.nz for ideas e.g. Barrel of Monkeys game, colouring in books, all sorts of monkey books etc.

12. HOSPITALITY There are loads of ideas for the hospitality sector to be creatively involved, through menu offerings eg. Fortune cookies, monkey nut bar, banana split, monkey muffins, jungle juice or ‘monkey-themed’ cocktails, serviettes etc. Rename one of your menu items! Parnell Inc. will provide cafés and restaurants with a monkey picture sheet to copy off for customers to colour in. We are trying to source colouring pens.

15. Recycled Monkeys – Get creative and make a monkey to display from recycled materials.

16. The monkey is known for its intelligence, cheekiness, quick wit, curiosity and mischievousness, and is often compared to a smart person. The Year of the monkey allows for some fun …. for the children and those with an inner child, share some monkey jokes! Monkey Jokes Q: How do monkeys get down the stairs? A: They slide down the banana-ster! Q: What do you call a monkey that sells potato chips? A: A chipmunk. Q: What kind of a key opens a banana? A: A monkey! Q: Where should a monkey go when he loses his tail? A: To a retailer! Q: What do you call a monkey with a hat and wand? A: Hairy potter. Q: Why don't monkeys play cards in the jungle? A: There are too many cheetahs there! Q: What do you call a monkey in a minefield? A: Baboom! Q: Why did the monkey like the banana? A: Because it had appeal! Q: What do monkeys do for laughs? A: They tell jokes about people! Q: What do you call a baby monkey? A: A Chimp off the old block. Q: What do you call a monkey with a banana in each ear? A: Anything you want, it can't hear you! Q: What did the monkey say when he cut off his tail? A: It won't be long now.

17. ….swing on by for more jokes! Q: Where do monkeys go to drink? A: The monkey bars! Q: What does a logger say before he cuts down a tree? A: Let the chimps fall where they may. Q: Did you hear about the awful jungle party? A: Somebody forgot to bring the chimps and dip. Q: What did the banana do when he saw a monkey? A: The banana split! Q: Why shouldn't you get into a fight with a monkey? A: They use gorilla warfare. Q: Where do chimps get their gossip? A: On the ape vine! Q: How do you catch a monkey? A: Climb a tree and act like a banana! A policeman in the big city stops a man in a car with a monkey in the front seat. "What are you doing with that monkey?" He exclaimed, "You should take it to the zoo." The following week, the same policeman sees the same man with the monkey again in the front seat, with both of them wearing sunglasses. The policeman pulls him over. "I thought you were going to take that monkey to the zoo!" The man replied, "I did. We had such a good time we are going to the beach this weekend!"

18. YEAR OF THE FIRE MONKEY – What the Monkey Animal Zodiac means The monkey ranks ninth of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Pictures of monkeys are often placed on walls and doors to bring good fortune. Years of The Monkey include: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028. If you were born in a year that ends in a ‘6’ you are a ‘Fire Monkey’. Lucky colours: white, gold, blue Lucky numbers: 1, 8, 7 Lucky flower: chrysanthemum Characteristics of Monkey People People born in the year of the monkey are lively, flexible, witty and versatile with strong practical ability. They love to be active and they enjoy sports. Often highly intelligent, they are talented problem solvers, and are self-assured, sociable and innovative. Those born in a year of the Monkey are fast learners and crafty opportunists. They love being the centre of attention and have a magnetic personality. Because of their extraordinary nature and magnetic personality, they are always well-liked. Monkeys like to take challenges and they prefer urban life to rural. Monkey people have an insatiable desire for knowledge and show amazing creativity in their work. They like challenges and love to succeed, although they can be discouraged if things don't go their way. Monkeys are mischievous; they are masters of the practical joke (though they can sometimes take things too far).

19. They tend to be healthy (probably due to their active lifestyle) but should remember to take a break from their busy schedule now and again. They can however, be jealous, suspicious, cunning, arrogant and impatient, and tend to look down on others. Fire Monkey When one of the five elements of the Chinese Zodiac tempers a person's sign, unexpected things can happen (the elements are fire, wood, metal, water and earth). 2016 is the Year of the Fire Monkey, fire being the dominant element this year. It is hard not to be impressed by a Fire Monkey. A person born under this Chinese sign will be intelligent and quick, and he or she is often the first person to see a solution to a problem. Not only does a Fire Monkey get the right answer, but he or she has the energy to see a plan through until the end. Fire brings huge energy and determination to the Monkeys, resulting in an ambitious person who is able to stay more focussed than the average Monkey. A Fire Monkey person still dreams big dreams, but has a far better chance of sticking with those dreams until they succeed. They like nothing better than to be at the top of the tree. Being recognised for their achievements gives them greater job satisfaction than money. In business they are good negotiators, persuasive and organised, but can get 'burnt' by taking risky shortcuts.

20. Parnell has a one-off opportunity to offer this unique, creative slant to Chinese New Year festivities that will draw in local Kiwis and the Chinese community. We envisage this growing year on year into a significant signature event for Parnell. Together we can make this a successful event for Parnell!

21. We will be targeting the press, tourist industry and all local Aucklanders with this message Come to Parnell to see the largest collection of monkeys in Auckland!