''It's been delayed owing to what I'd call inclement weather - other people might not call it inclement, though,'' Maniototo Ice Rink manager Bill McInytre said.
The family ice dance planned for tonight at the rink, starting at 6pm, will go ahead and the outdoor rink and luge track are both open, but concerns about mild weather forecast for today led to the postponement of the festival, Mr McIntyre said.
''It's a sensible thing to do. The last thing we want is to have lots of people turning up for the festival and the ice vanishing during the day. Without it, we don't have a festival.''
''It is supposed to get to seven degrees [celsius today] and although some people probably think that's a nice day for this time of year, we'll struggle to keep the ice at that temperature - it'll start thawing and get slippery on top.''
Some frosty days and frosty nights would be ideal leading up to the rescheduled ice festival, Mr McIntyre said.
''The warm weather makes it difficult for us. First we had the rain at the start of winter, and that's no good when you're in the ice business, and now we've got mild, windy days forecast, which is just as bad.''
It has been a frustrating start to the ice sports season in the Maniototo. The 360m luge track opened a week ago - its latest opening in its five-year history.
It was also a late opening for the outdoor rink, which is used for both skating and curling, and is located next to the luge and indoor curling rink.
''We have the capability to make ice, but there's not much you can do to keep it without the help of Mother Nature and, sometimes, the weather's just agin us.''
