Festival co-ordinator Jeannie Hayden said next year's New Zealand Festival of Nature would have a focus on fresh water, so the location seemed appropriate.
"We decided on the Leith because it is our fresh-water river right in the middle of the city.
"My feet are still numb. We had to shout a lot because it is quite windy."
The exotic meetings have become a yearly occurrence for the committee, which last year held it outside on top of a hill near Larnach Castle which overlooked the peninsula.
The festival will have about 70 events and run from April 22 to 28.
Members are (from left): Neil Harraway, Dr Phil Bishop, Taylor Davies-Colley, Rachel Cooper, Hoani Langsbury, Norcombe Barker, Suzanne Middleton, Kerry Buchan, Jesikah Triscott and Jeannie Hayden.
