NELSON, USA CLUB

Monday Marching
Please meet at the top parking lot of the Richmond Mall carpark (where the staff park) at 11.30am on Monday so we are ready to join the parade at 12 noon.  I have made a big banner for a couple of us to hold as we march down Queen Street in our red/white/blue.

If you need a quick costume, the $2-style discount shops have big flags for $5 and just wear it like a cape.  After the parade, we will jump up on stage at Sundial Square to say the Pledge and sing the Anthem with our banner in front of us as a group.  Here is a link to download the MP3 soundtrack of that performance so you can have a quick practice… you don’t need to sing well – just lip-sync!

I really appreciate you making the effort to join in with the Nelson, USA Club to march in this event with some of the Eagles players – it’s a one-in-a-lifetime activity for us, I’m sure!  I have invited ANY American in town for the game to come and join us in the parade – so please pass on this information to anyone you meet!

Tuesday GAME DAY!
I have just received a special invitation for any club member going to the USA game at Trafalgar Park to join the US Ambassador’s pre-game tailgate party in support of the USA Eagles prior to their Rugby World Cup match against Italy.  However, I need to present them with a list of names by Monday morning so they know exactly who is attending.  Please email me the names of your family/friends (children included) so I can pass these on.  The party will take place at a venue on Bridge Street in Nelson between 4.30pm-6pm and the kick-off at Trafalgar Park is at 7.30pm.  I’ll send additional details when I’ve compiled the list.

The hosts of the party are the Ambassador of the United States of America David Huebner and his spouse Dr. Duane McWaine.  The invitation has been presented from Shauna Mendez whom you may remember from the breakfast we hosted when she was in town from Wellington. Very exciting to meet the Ambassador – lucky us (bring a camera)!

Other Activities
Don’t forget to support club member Anthony Holder’s Sevens Tournament all day on Sunday at Jubilee Park – complementing the on field rugby action will be an evening of entertainment, featuring a prize giving, presentations, live music, cultural items and exhibitions. All this along with a traditional kiwi BBQ with local wines and craft beers.

There are activities in the Richmond Mall during Monday afternoon (including Poppy singing in the American Idol competition at 3.30pm).  A midday parade down Queen Street complete with classic American hotrods, cheerleaders and marching bands, paves the way for an afternoon of family entertainment, competitions and exhibitions in the Richmond Mall. As the sun sets, a Sundial Square evening of dancing, fine foods and mingling will unfold with a quintessential kiwi picnic featuring the best of local fare.

The Tailgating Party at the Richmond Fairgrounds is from 2pm on Tuesday before the game.  This free family event includes an afternoon full of interactive activities, with classic kiwi games immersed with American Tailgate traditions, live music, performances, tasty regional cuisine and boutique beverages.  There is time to have some fun in Richmond before heading in to the Ambassador’s party and then the Eagles game itself!

Here are some links for more information:

• http://www.itson.co.nz/2011/2490-tasman-7s-invitational
• http://itson.co.nz/2011/2488-stars-n-stripes-block-party
• http://itson.co.nz/2011/2489-all-star-tailgate-party

THANK YOU

THANKS to those club members who came to have their photo taken with the Corvette for the Leader…
The Eagles players are training at Saxton Field over the next 4 evenings – they arrive in town today and you can go down to watch them – not sure about the details though.  Good try last night boys – you played with a lot of heart and we’ll be there supporting you when the same thing happens on Tuesday night!

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It would be awesome to see some USA Club families at the Richmond Festival Roadshow on Monday morning (11 July). If you could come to the bottom of the Cathedral Steps inside the marquee by 8am – we will be finished at 9am.

Breakfast will be provided and the TVNZ segment will probably be filmed around 8.30am.

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We had another fantastic club get-together for July 4th this year. The kids had fun and the food was amazing at the Lone Star in Nelson.
Take a look at our event photos….

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Lone Star Dinner: Join your fellow Americans in Nelson at the Lone Star restaurant at 90 Hardy Street Nelson on Monday July 4th for a REDNECK RIBS special!   This is a great opportunity to mix & mingle with other USA Club families and a chance for our kids to say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the Star Spangled Banner to celebrate Independence Day.

Lone Star’s full menu will be available as well as complimentary Lone Star loaves of bread for our group and the Redneck Ribs special.  We will be meeting from 5.00pm in the bar area where Lone Star are putting on complimentary buffalo wings for us and we then plan to sit for dinner around 6pm.  Please fill in this form if you intend to come along – you’re also quite welcome to turn up at the last minute!

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Message from Paul, organiser of Richmond Festival:

Rugby World Cup Roadshow

The official Rugby World Cup 2011 Nationwide Roadshow is touring NZ throughout July, and will be visiting Nelson on Monday 11 July from 6am – 9.30am. This is an opportunity for the people of our region to get a glimpse of what RWC 2011 is going to be like, and find out about the associated RWC events happening in the Nelson Tasman region. The Roadshow consists of an oversized RWC custom designed truck with the capacity to open out into a 72m sq exhibition style space designed and fitted out with exciting features and interactive facilities. In addition to the exhibition in the truck, there will be a marquee where we can promote and display what we have planned for the Richmond Festival.

TVNZ Breakfast

TVNZ will be following the tour around NZ and broadcasting live from 20 locations and covering the highlights of each location on Breakfast with Tamati Coffey. While there is no guarantee that the Richmond Festival event will be featured on Breakfast, the more visual, exciting and compelling our display is, the greater the likelihood it will be showcased. But, regardless of the TV coverage, the Roadshow will attract a large local audience, so it is an ideal opportunity to engage with the local market to make them aware of and excited about our event.

Proposal

We propose to throw a mini tailgate party as part of our exhibition display, and was wondering if members from the Nelson USA Club would like to be involved in this party? They would be encouraged to dress up in their colours, and show the public what a tailgate party is all about. We will provide a bbq breakfast, and a classic dodge ute (with tailgate) plus the associated Richmond Festival promotional information/signage etc. Please can you let me know if this is something your interested in being involved in, and if so likely numbers for catering purposes.

• What: RWC Roadshow Tailgate Party Exhibition
• When: Monday 11th July, 6.00-9.30am
• Where: Trafalgar Street Nelson (by Church Steps)

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Richmond will become base camp USA for three days during the Rugby World Cup.

The Tasman District Council has been given $18,000 through the NZ 2011 Festival Lottery fund for the Richmond Festival, a three-day gala of all things American, ranging from a day of fun and games and “tailgating” (a car boot picnic) to a Stars and Stripes block party and a social sevens tournament.

The council’s community recreation adviser, Mike Tasman-Jones, said the concept came from Nelson city’s adoption of the Italian team. “We thought we would adopt their rivals, the US team.”

The coaches and players were unlikely to attend the festival but it would be a gesture of welcome, and a chance for expatriate Americans to give Kiwis a taste of their culture, he said.

The event will kick off on Sunday, September 25 with 600 junior and senior rugby players converging on Jubilee Park for the Tasman 7s Invitational Tournament.

The Monday will see Croucher St and Queen St filled with with baton-twirling, bands, burgers and classic American cars for a Stars and Stripes block party. It will culminate in a classic Kiwi picnic of the best local fare.

The final day will see a New Zealand-style tailgating party. The much-loved American games of ladder toss, cornhole and sholf will combine with traditional Kiwi activities such as the gumboot toss, wheelbarrow and sack races, terrier races and duck herding.

Richmond Unlimited business co-ordinator Keryn Sheppard said the festival was still in the early stages of planning but most retailers were getting behind the Stars and Stripes block party.

 

Mr Tasman-Jones said expatriate Americans were free to contact him to refine the ideas. “It would be great to dig out some people doing fantastic US tucker.”

Source: The Nelson Mail

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Join other Americans and plenty of football fans at 623 In The City on Monday 7 February for the Superbowl on the big screen.  Game starts at 12 noon – and coverage will be on from 8am.

623 In The City is where we had our 4th of July party – it’s at 223 Hardy Street, Nelson.

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Join other American families living in the Nelson region for a delicious roast turkey dinner & pumpkin pie dessert for only $19 ($12 for kids) at 623 In The City in Hardy Street on Sunday 4 July from 5pm. Read more

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Feel a little homesick around Thanksgiving & Christmas?  Hearing some American accents and chatting about home WILL make you feel better!

The Nelson, USA Club will get together on Friday 27 November from 5.30pm at the Tahunanui Beach BBQs to network and build friendships with American families living in the Nelson region. Read more

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Nelson, USA Club 4th of July event

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