Band and dancers fundraising

Forming a tableau outside the Fork and Tap restaurant and bar yesterday are (from left) Arrowtown's Wendy Ebsworth, Jeannie Crawford, Les Rogerson and Paula Ryan. Mrs Crawford, of the Fork and Tap, donated five bottles of wine for the Buckingham Belles and the Arrow Miners Band to raffle, to raise money for their trip to the Wild Foods festival in Hokitika. Photo by Olivia Caldwell.

The festival is on March 10.

More than 20 Arrowtown performers and musicians are fundraising for the trip, and this Sunday they will be performing at the Fork and Tap restaurant and bar.

The all-female dancing group Buckingham Belles has been busking on Arrowtown's Buckingham Green and has so far raised $400 through donations and raffles.

The groups are aiming for up to $4000 to help send them to the West Coast town, and Buckingham Belle Paula Ryan said Arrowtown businesses had been "overwhelmingly generous" to the cause.

"We've had fruit, food, vouchers and wine thrown at us to raffle off."

The groups applied to perform at the food festival last year and will be taking a 40-seater bus to stay overnight in Hokitika. They intend to raise funds right up to the last minute, and will busk in Haast on the way up.

On Sunday, the groups will perform at the Fork and Tap from 3pm. Noel and Ela Coutts will perform from 5pm.