Organisers elated with event’s success

Alexandra Blossom Festival Queen Myah Turnbull (centre) with first runnerup Tyla Davidson (left) and second runnerup Arlia Murphy after being crowned at Saturday’s festival. PHOTO: JAMES ALLAN/IMAGE CENTRAL

Smiling princesses, robotic cats and endless food could only mean the Alexandra Blossom Festival was taking over the town on Saturday.

As the event wound down late in the afternoon festival committee chairwoman Sharleen Stirling-Lindsay said she was ecstatic.

"It’s always quite an elated feeling I think for the committee ... especially when you get to the parade and you see all that happen and then you get to the stage [for the presentations] and the committee is there, we’re all there, and looking out and everyone’s having a good time ... you feel elated."

Committee member Michelle Davies paid tribute to the float makers.

"You look at how much effort people have gone to and they are so good."

Mrs Stirling-Lindsay said the way the Alexandra community embraced the festival was the key to its success. The enthusiasm for the different facets made it work from the floats to the Senior Queen and princesses to the window display competition for the Bain Cup.

"People get it. The windows alone we used to have about seven. This year was up to 20 [entries]. People are getting behind the whole thing."

The hard work and ups and downs of organising a huge event were all forgotten by the end, she said.

"All the other stuff just goes by the by because you see people so happy," she said.

Blossom Festival Queen Myah Turnbull said she could not believe it when she was named the winner.

"It was awesome."

Taking in the sights at the blossom festival parade on Saturday are Omakau sisters Karystal Ngataki (9, left), and Ocean, 7, flanking their Dunedin cousin Tyson Barrett, 8. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

She was delighted for HireKing, whose float she rode on, and was looking forward to what the year would bring.

HireKing Cromwell manager Jamie Frisby said entering a float was a last-minute decision and they only started building it about two weeks ago.

They were planning to lift their game next year and already had ideas for a float.

The Grans Who Can float won the people’s choice award with their Minions-themed effort.

Festival manager Martin McPherson said he was slightly nervous about this year’s event given the extraordinary weather events outside the district.

Some of the children’s entertainers had come from Twizel where it was snowing on Saturday morning. They left really early to make sure the show would go on, he said.