These days the Tawa Schools and Community Music Festival takes place once every two years. It involves most of the children in years 5-6 (9-11 year olds) at Tawa's seven primary schools, those in the Madrigal Choir at Tawa Intermediate, plus singers from Tawa College. Added to that are 100 or so in the adult section of the massed choir, a total of approximately 900 voices all singing in unison.

Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre is the usual venue for the festival. Many of the pieces sung are accompanied by either energetic dancers on stage, or colourful props used by all those taking part - and sometimes both. Many hours of practice on the part of all the singers and the accompanying musical team go into making a great concert. And, as she has done for the past 29 years, it is the director, Shona Murray, who very capably brings everything together to ensure the success of the whole evening.

The 2008 Festival "Tawa Goes to Town" will take place at the Michael Fowler Centre on Tuesday, 23 September. Practices involving several hundred schoolchildren are currently taking place each week, and the adult choir is practising on Sunday afternoons. Tickets are now on sale (as from mid-August) at ticketek.