A tent city sprang up at the Cromwell Racecourse over the weekend, with the more than 800 campers giving up to $100,000 for the chance to share tears and laughter with friends and strangers.
The occasion was the third Central Otago Relay for Life, which drew people from throughout Central Otago as well as from Queenstown and Wanaka.
''It's just been a magical weekend - we couldn't have hoped for better,'' relay committee chairwoman Lynn Manson said yesterday.
''The atmosphere's been amazing. We were lucky with the weather, apart from a couple of fairly brief showers. It's been great and people are obviously enjoying themselves.''
The event marked the end of the fundraising effort by teams, and although there was $80,000 in the coffers now, Mrs Manson was ''quietly confident'' that figure would increase to $100,000 over the next two or three weeks after the final contributions were added.
Proceeds will be used mostly for support services and health promotion by the Cancer Society within the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes districts.
The relay began at noon on Saturday and 50 teams, some containing up to 40 people, took part. Team members took turns to walk or run on the relay track for 24 hours.
Although a party atmosphere prevailed throughout most of the event, there were times of reflection, such as during the opening lap for survivors and their caregivers and during the candlelight ceremony on Saturday evening.
The two district mayors were guest speakers, Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper speaking at the opening and Vanessa van Uden at the closing ceremony.
Mr Lepper said the relay was a chance to raise funds to support cancer patients, to celebrate those who had survived the disease and remember those who had died from cancer. Ms van Uden said relay participants should be ''immensely proud'' of their efforts.
''I'm amazed with the support this event has. I've only been here 10 minutes and I can feel the buzz,'' she said.
Cancer Society Otago Southland division chief executive Mike Kernaghan said the support demonstrated it was a special community. The relay had attracted all ages, from babies through to a 94-year-old.
It was great to see the ''huge turnout'' this year from school pupils, he said. Mrs Manson paid tribute to the work done by the event's first youth chairwoman Jacinda Morton in organising a Top School contest as part of the entertainment.
''This is the first time we've had a portfolio aimed at youth and it's been amazing to see so many young people at the relay, with all the energy they bring,'' she said.
''Cancer doesn't discriminate between young and old and I know friends, classmates and teachers of these students are experiencing their own journey with cancer, and you were here for them.''
