Good turn out for festival season

The community was the big winner with three festivals held at venues around the Tasman district last Sunday.

An estimated 2000 people attended the annual Brightwater Wine and Food Festival at Grey's Vineyard, about 4000 were at the Sarau Festival in Upper Moutere and more than 600 people attended the Summer Food Fare in Collingwood.

The region's finest wines and beers, a mouthwatering range of food stalls and cooking demonstrations and top class music all contributed to a great day out at all three venues.

But the festivals were not just about having fun with all three events being held to raise funds for community groups.

Sarau Festival organiser Jenny Leith said the money raised through the festival will go towards Moutere community groups, including sports teams, youth groups, and the community centre.

Proceeds from what turned out to be the "biggest festival yet" had yet to be tallied but should exceed last year's figure, she said.

"It was lots of fun and the stallholders did well," she said.

"It was a lovely, warm day and really nice conditions.

"There was the odd gust of wind, but by and large the weather was ideal."

Although numbers at Richmond Rotary Club's fundraiser at Brightwater were down by about 1000 on last year, Rotary's Ken McDonald said they were still pleased with the event.

"We kept tickets at $25 for eight years and this year we put them up to $40 to ensure we could still attract some headline acts.

We thought that would impact in numbers and it did but we are still over the moon with the way people have accepted the change and come out today.

"I realise some people have criticised the price increase but what you have to remember is that this is a charitable event. Rotary aren't making a cent out of this and if it loses money, Rotary picks up the bill."

Ken said the Rotary Club would know the final attendance numbers and if the festival made a profit in two weeks' time.

If the festival did make a profit, Rotary would then decide which community group received the proceeds.

"We won't know for a while but I'd say, looking at it, that it's a break even situation."

Ken said the event was well supported by its principal sponsor Brightwater Engineering and a raft of other businesses and volunteer groups.

"We have 40 of our members and their wives out here helping today out of a membership of 53 and we had the scouts and cubs helping set up yesterday.

"There's also the Brightwater and Richmond fire brigades, Knapps Lawyers and the Cancer Society all lending a hand."

Collingwood Summer Food Festival organiser Pete Watkins said ticket sales were also down slightly on last year but he thought more children, who were admitted free, made for a bigger crowd than usual at the fifth annual festival.

He had no idea how much money had been raised as he still had to total bar receipts but the $25 adult admission alone would have made close to $15,000.

The proceeds go to the Collingwood Rugby Club, which runs the festival.

Pete said Collingwood was one of the few clubs that owned its own ground, and the money went to rates, maintenance and to improving facilities.

He said that he was amazed by the numbers of people who volunteered who were not part of the rugby club.