The Great Alexandra Craft Beer, Food and Wine Festival organiser Martin McPherson was yesterday keeping an eye on festival preparations, while hoping the weather would perform as forecast - some sun, some cloud and pleasant temperatures.
It is the second year for the festival, which last year attracted 550 people, and Mr McPherson was hoping for a bigger crowd today.
''It was just too hot last year.''
Cromwell will play host to a similar festival this afternoon - the Cromwell Wine and Food Festival in Old Cromwell.
Organiser Heather McPherson was also hoping for more people than the 850 who attended last year and said it seemed as if more people were in town.
Neither organiser was worried about being affected by each other's festival and said they each had their points of difference.
However, both festivals will have food, drink and live music and both start at 3pm. The Alexandra one costs $20 and finishes at 9pm, while the Cromwell one costs $15, or $5 for non-drinkers, and finishes at 8pm.
