Video: 2009 Blossom Festival
Slideshow: 2009 Blossom Festival
A crowd estimated at about 10,000 lined Alexandra's main street at noon to watch the grand procession, the main drawcard of the festival.
The temperature climbed to 17degC, in stark contrast to the weather experienced at last year's parade, which was delayed by an hour after a fierce storm.
Spectators were entertained by about 40 entries in the parade, ranging from early childhood groups to leisure marchers and gymnasts.
The parade also featured nine pipe bands and two brass bands, from throughout Otago and Southland.
All eyes were on the floral floats and six organisations entered the competition this year, spending hundreds of hours on design and construction, and decoration with hand-made crepe paper flowers.
The Alexandra and Dunstan Lions Club's effort - Winnie the Pooh - won $1500 as the public's favourite float, as well as a prize for the "most representative" entry.
Alexandra Plunket's float, Monsters Inc, was another crowd-pleaser, winning the best floral float category.
More than 27,000 paper blossoms were used to decorate it.
Central Otago Mayor and Alexandra resident Dr Malcolm Macpherson hailed the success of this year's festival as a return to the "village green" type of event.
"It's not a rock festival or a craft fair; it's family focus and it's that village green emphasis that makes it so successful," Dr Macpherson said.
Blossom Festival committee chairman Steve Battrick was delighted with the weekend.
"There was a good crowd, the park layout was excellent and the event flowed nicely. The weather, of course, was brilliant - but we've had a day like that booked since last year," he said.
"The park entertainment [before and after the procession] was well received, especially the Wellington [International] Ukulele Orchestra, and people lingered until 6pm, which was what we hoped."
Dunstan High School year 12 pupil Alice Finch (17), of Omakau, was crowned Festival Queen, with fellow Dunstan pupils Hannah Townsend and Kelsey Henderson (both 17, of Alexandra) first and second runners-up, respectively.
Alice was shocked by her win but said she represented the majority of youth in Alexandra.
"The youth here get such a bad rap but most of us are doing positive things, not getting into trouble," Alice said.
The event was managed by Innerwink, and director Annetta Latham estimated the crowd at about 10,000.
Central Otago District Council business development manager Jonathan Gadd estimated the festival would have generated more than $1 million for the local economy.
Ticket sales for the festival garden tour yesterday and today, featuring cooking demonstrations by chef Al Brown, were excellent.
The Thunder Sunday drag racing at Alexandra airport attracted about 1000 spectators, who watched 120 vehicles take part.
The 500 tickets for the final event in the festival, the WoolOn creative design awards, on Saturday, October 3, have been sold out for almost a week.
