Through his work with event and lifestyle guide Neat Places and street festival Nostalgia, Johnny Gibson has been a big influence in getting Christchurch people out and about after the earthquakes. Cityscape puts the questions to Johnny and finds out a secret or two.

The annual Nostalgia festival has struck a chord with audiences – why do you think that is? A big part is that it’s a festival for all ages. Different aspects attract different people, whether it’s the creative activation of the 1900s replica township at Ferrymead Heritage Park, the high quality pop-up eateries, food vendors and bars or vintage market, and of course, the great curated lineup of New Zealand and international musicians! Really it’s a street festival – people just love spending the day wandering the streets exploring and maybe catching the steam train too!

What’s exciting you about the February 2020 festival? Using more of the buildings at Ferrymead Heritage Park. They will be populated with one-off restaurants, bars, traditional services and performances that burst out onto the street. Plus we’ve got a great new street stage in the works! 

You’ve been encouraging people to cycle there – how is that going? Great! It’s another way to extend the festival experience throughout the day. Join one of our cycle gangs, make some new friends and help us reduce our environmental footprint as a festival. 

Neat Places is another of your projects – what motivated you there? For myself and my business partner, it’s about celebrating and promoting the quality places and people that put so much into their businesses. These places build unique experiences that come from their personality, passion and what the community demand. Not like chain global brands – they do nothing to help create local culture. 

You’ve got an enviable track record – are you just lucky or is it all about hard work? Hard work and persistency in my case. Nostalgia has been running for six years, so it hasn’t come out of nowhere. We’ve got true values and are constantly trying to evolve and improve the event, which I think comes through.

What do you think Christchurch needs the most? Residents championing the city. 

Tell us a secret about yourself? I have a thing for fried noodles. 

What’s your favourite material possession? My laptop, although the relationship alternates between good and bad. Bad being its representation of work; good being the ability to explore and educate yourself on anything! 

What are you listening to/reading/binge-watching at the moment? The Netflix series Chef’s Table. 

What’s your favourite movie? The Big Blue. 

What excites you about Christchurch in the spring? The start of more missions to Banks Peninsula bays

Anything coming to Christchurch that you are particularly looking forward to? More central-city residents, and more visitors through the likes of the convention centre.

How do you relax? Cooking and walking. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Don’t burn your bridges. 

If you weren’t doing what you are now, what would you want to do? Urban designer. 

You’ve got friends coming from out of town. Where do you go and what would you do to show off the city in –  two hours: Visit the Arts Centre and Christchurch Art Gallery. A half-day: Hit New Regent Street, Caffeine Lab for coffee, check out some street and urban art at Fiksate, then walk through to High Street and take a look at some of the independent retailers before heading over to the Arts Centre. 24 hours? Everything above, finished off with heading to Lyttelton for some quality hospitality.

Where do you go to – Wine and dine with friends: Gatherings to dine. Civil & Naval, or Cassels & Sons for quality pints and pizza. Morning coffee: Lyttelton Coffee Co. Blow off some steam: Wander down the road from the house in Sumner for a surf. Shop up a storm: Infinite Definite. Get away from it all: Generally like to visit somewhere new.

Nostalgia, Ferrymead Heritage Park, February 15, 2020

nostalgiafestival.co.nz