The team at Benefitz and Channel Mag love supporting our local events. The return of the Murrays Bay Wharf Birdman has excited us in recent years and we are looking forward to the 2020 event being held on Saturday 14th March. Members of our team will be flying!
It is great that Barfoot & Thompson has stepped up to become the major sponsor. Other sponsors supporting the event are TipTop, Hibiscus & Bays Local Board, North Shore Aero Club, Murrays Bay Sailing Club, Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club as well as Benefitz and Channel Magazine.
The Birdman event is a competition for human-powered flying machines and involves human 'birdmen' attempting to 'fly' the furthest distance off the end of the wharf into the sea for prize money and glory.
The Murrays Bay Wharf Birdman was a regular fixture up until 1976 when it took a break of 40 years! The progressive folk who steer the Murrays Bay Residents Association relaunched it back in 2017 with the aim to have it every year, or every second year. 2020 will be the third year of the new Murrays Bay Wharf Birdman. Bigger and better than ever before.
The Birdman Rally is full of splashes, spills and thrills where birdmen dressed to impress strut their wings to fly or fall, while embracing their home made gliders, with most of them travelling only a couple of metres before plunging into the sea. Many fliers will take part to help raise money for charities; others design complex machines to aim for the category prizes.
“It really is a lot of fun for all the family,” says Josie Adriaansen, one of the key organisers. “We will be having Sammy the Little Steam Train there on the day from 10am till 12noon, as well as face painters, a photo booth and real fun entertainment. There will also be lots of variety in our food stalls.”
Josie says the day will also include a children’s dress up parade, Kiwiana themed, followed by the creative birdMen and birdWomen, and organisers already have some interesting entries, such as The Kiwi Birds flying the Kiwiana plane; the one and only big man Captain Blayz and his team the two Drongoz abouda take it out for the Tuis; The Big Book of Inspiration with the pages taking off into the land of dreams; a Flying Spine; an Eagle themed bi-plane.
“We are thrilled that our local MP Erica Stanford and local Board member Alexis Poppelbaum (they’re sisters) have entered to raise funds for a new vehicle for the North Harbour Community Patrol. They have a Givealittle page set up and are raising money big time. I urge you to support them by giving and coming along to see them fly!”
The day starts from 10am with Northcross Intermediate Kapa Haka at 10.20am; the Long Bay College Big Band performing at 10.50am; Auckland Samba Group Unidos De Aotearoa on at 11.20am; a rescue demo by Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving at 11.40am; the Birdman Parade at 12noon; Birdman jumping at 12.15pm; Taiko Drummers perform at 1.30pm followed by the Rangitoto College band ‘Stay for Breakfast’. Prizegiving and a performance by our local Ukele Union complete this exciting day.
The road closes at 9am and will open again from 3.30pm.
“The weather is going to be fantastic so it should be a great day once again,” says Josie Andriaansen. “We want loads of birdMen and birdWomen to jump on the day so make sure you all enter. Closing date for entries is 6th March, but I am sure we can sneak a late entry or two in after that.”
To enter visit: https://mbwbirdman.co.nz/
