Seven newcomers to Ashburton will be sharing their life stories with the community during Welcoming Week and in the lead-up to the Hakatere Noodle Festival on Saturday 13 September.

The noodle festival is a celebration of noodle dishes, when our diverse community gathers at Baring Square East for food, friendship and fun.

Group Manager of Democracy and Engagement Toni Durham said 20 food vendors would be onsite, including commercial food truck operators and community groups selling their own cultural cuisine.

“Most will have a special noodle dish for the event, and there’ll be dessert options too.”

As part of Welcoming Week, seven new residents will be sharing how they came to live in the Ashburton District, and their stories and photographs will be on display in Baring Square East in the week before the festival.

Mrs Durham encouraged people to read the newcomers’ stories.

“Their journeys to Ashburton and reasons for moving are all different, but they are united in finding a community that has welcomed them.

“We’ve been working with our print partner the Ashburton Guardian to help share their journeys too, and encourage more people along to the noodle night.”

More FM and the Breeze are radio partners for the festival and at the festival they are going to set up an interactive whanau (family) zone that will have a range of games, including games from the different cultures to try out.

Staff from the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will also be in charge of a special canvas.

Mrs Durham said the canvas would have the outlines of faces pre-drawn and visitors would be invited to paint their likeness on it.

“This will be a permanent record of the faces of Ashburton and on display in the Ashburton Library following the event.”