And some even BIGGER news!
And just like that, we’ve hit the end of February. We don’t know about you, but we feel like time is just flying by. We’ve had a busy start to the year with back to back festivals - Dimension and Shipwrecked, thank you for such an incredible time. Hannah and Tim also shot over to Melbourne last week to celebrate their 10 year anniversary, which was actually last year, but who’s counting?!
We’ve got a new photo competition up on Facebook, our last one before the end of summer. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing all your festival photos for our first comp of 2024 - you can check out all the entries here, and the winning photo here.
This time round, we want to see your backyard spinning shots! No festivals, no gimmicks - just chill time at home or with your local flow community. As usual, we’ll shortlist our faves next week based on style and personal expression (just look at Lucas’ happy face) for you all to vote on and the most liked will win a $50 voucher for Fire & Flow NZ.
Now for the big news…
We are so excited to announce that we’ll be at WOMAD - World of Music, Arts and Dance - one of the longest-running, best culturally established festivals on the planet.
WOMAD runs from 15-17 March at the Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park in New Plymouth. Tickets are still available so if you’re keen, grab yours now and we’ll see you there!
And for the even BIGGER news…
After 5+ years of making flow props, we (Tim and Hannah) have decided to wrap up our involvement with Fire & Flow NZ and pass it on to the next person who can continue to grow this amazing business as the heart of fire and flow arts in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We have been so incredibly privileged to have served the kiwi flow community over the last half decade, and in particular the last 2.5 years since we launched Fire & Flow NZ in 2021. We want to give a massive shout out to the prop makers that came before us (Home of Poi, we’re looking at you) and kiwi crafters who have continued to create props through covid and beyond.
An extra special mihi goes to those we met at the beginning of our journey, who provided advice and materials to help us get started, and to those who came on board as part of Fire & Flow NZ or worked with us - Tracey, Kelly, Laura, Wilna, Jared, Grace, Levi, Roxy, Unity, Emi, Amy, Deon, Hannah, Yames, Michael, Pete, and everyone else who helped us get to where we are today. We love you all so much!
The biggest thank you goes to our friends and family, and you - the kiwi flow community - for supporting us through thick and thin, and sharing your joy and your love of flow arts with us online and in person. We absolutely could not have done this without you. Flow arts will continue to be a part of our lives forever, and you can be sure that we will still see you around at jams and festivals in the future.
We will be wrapping things up at our end over the next month, while also attending WOMAD and Earth Beat as stallholders (see you there!!). So look out for some end-of-line clearance sales later in March. We are accepting expressions of interest from anyone interested in buying Fire & Flow NZ - please email admin@fireandflow.co.nz
We are looking forward to having more time to spend with our homeschooled children as they get older, building a garden and a life on the farm here in Taranaki, and doing some travelling of course!
Arohanui,
Hannah and Tim
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - DIY
Us kiwi's are known for being DIY enthusiasts and here at Fire & Flow NZ, we've got a wide range of wick, heads, kits, grip, and parts to make your fire, flow and LED DIY super simple. Grab your DIY gear now and let your creativity run wild!
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This 100mm flat wick is the largest we offer, used on our big contact staffs. Kevlar is the industry standard for fire prop construction, perfect for making your own staff, poi, darts and any other fire gear you want to custom make and can burn over 100 times if treated right. The Kevlar absorbs the fuel, and once lit, the fuel burns away leaving the highly heat-resistant Kevlar blackened but intact.
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This 75mm flat wick is the second-largest, used on our hybrid contact staff and some other props. Kevlar is the industry standard for fire prop construction, perfect for making your own staff, poi, darts and any other fire gear you want to custom make and can burn over 100 times if treated right. The Kevlar absorbs the fuel, and once lit, the fuel burns away leaving the highly heat-resistant Kevlar blackened but intact.
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WHAT’S ON FOR THE FLOWMIES?
WOMAD
15-17 March
New Plymouth (Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park)
Fire & Flow NZ will be at WOMAD this year!
WOMAD - World of Music, Arts and Dance - is one of the longest-running, best culturally established festivals on the planet. With an impressive array of artists, costumes, music, and of course dance, this three day event is unlike anything else and not to be missed.
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Earthbeat Fire & Flow NZ will be at Earthbeat this year! Earthbeat is a place to play, learn, revitalise, and make new connections. A five day, family-friendly wonderland accessible for all with live music, kids zone, art, wellness and healing, presentations, and over 60 workshops. Earthbeat are on a mission to be completely waste-free and pride themselves on having a whanau focused community vibe. |
NZ Juggling and Circus Festival The NZJCF is the perfect place to learn and share a variety of circus skills, from aerials to juggling, from beginner to expert, there’s something for everyone. Workshops to share your skills and learn some new ones, variety artists offering incredible circus shows, and even a circus Olympics! Since 1993, the NZJCF has been welcoming people of all ages and abilities, local, national and international, to come and join the excitement that circus offers. |
STAY SPINFORMED!
Wicks are an essential component of any fire prop. The better quality your wicks are, the longer they’ll last and the safer they’ll be. You still need to take proper care of your wicks though - check out how with our Wick Care and Fire Safety Guide.
With so many options for wicks out there, it can be hard to know what’s what. We've put together a pretty in depth article all about the Wonderful World of Wicks. All the science and tech behind wicking material is pretty complicated stuff and we (not scientists) have tried our best to make this article as simple and as accurate as possible.
Did you know..?
Kevlar, commonly used for ballistic rated body armour, can handle temperatures between -195°C and 420°C and has a tensile strength of about 525,000psi! For comparison, steel has a tensile strength ranging from around 42,000 to 348,000psi.
For more fascinating wick facts, check out the article now.
Here’s what J from Northland reckons about our Kevlar wick:
“Fantastic! Super quick delivery and good quality product.
Love the helpful safety info in the package as well.”
We’re stoked you're happy with your wick, J, and wish you all the DIY delights!
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