While hundreds of "normal" people were rugged up against the chill, decked out in gloves, hats and several jackets, some brave souls lined up on a jetty, dressed inappropriately for the conditions.
And if they looked cold and shivery standing on the jetty, exposed to the brisk wind, it was nothing compared with the way they looked exiting Lake Wakatipu after jumping in as part of radio station MoreFM's Birdman competition.
The name would suggest the aim of the event was to get air and distance from the jetty.
If that was so, a lesson in aerodynamics was clearly needed, with most of the entrants managing only a couple of metres between their jumping and entry points.
Animal themes seemed to be the favourite of the day - a chicken, a gorilla and a penguin coming out relatively unscathed.
However, it was Pot the Magic Dragon, aka Lakes Environmental planner Quinn McIntyre - one of the 2008 Top Bloke entrants - who seemed to have the most difficulty.
After fighting off his two "dragon slayers", Pot waddled to the end of the jetty and just fell into the lake.
He did manage to clear the waiting Coastguard Queenstown dinghy and, after being hauled out, Pot's costume seemed to unravel.
Two legs could be seen dangling over the edge of the boat.
But when it pulled up on the shore, it took four men to haul the somewhat dazed-looking dragon out of the boat.
After Pot's head was removed, Mr McIntyre seemed to have a little difficulty in focusing on where he was going, eventually sitting, dripping wet on the steps explaining that perhaps he did not think it through enough.
The wood in the head piece reportedly caused him some difficulty when he entered the water and some disorientation when he got out.
It was the Shotover Jet entry that won the top prize, with a group of three men performing a choreographed routine with backing music from Top Gun.
Then they removed their black cloaks and stood in Shotover-red "budgie smugglers" before hopping into their specially-designed replica Shotover Jet boat.
After setting off a red flare on the back of the "boat", the boys did a couple of 360-degree turns before launching themselves off the jetty and into the water.
This was not the end of the hilarity, with the Splash and Dash providing gasps and guffaws as the keen swimmers lined up on the America's Cup boat.
The women went first and sprinted through the finish line to the waiting changing area and a warm towel.
But the men seemed not to feel the cold, posing on the side of the boat before the horn blew.
There is always one who steals the show and that honour went to a brave competitor dressed in the classic Borat V-string.
After racing out of the water, none of the men seemed to be in a hurry to get dressed again, instead posing in Earnslaw Park.
The afternoon event wrapped up an already busy weekend, which had seen the Festival Parade and Family Fun Day, Mountain Bikes on Snow, the American Express-sponsored Jazz Night and Jennifer Ward-Lealand as Marlene Deitrich on Saturday night.
In typical festival fashion it only got better last night, with a free party on Coronet Peak coinciding with the ski area's first evening of night skiing for the 2008 season.
The party featured Goodnight Nurse, Midge Marsden and the Master Blasters.
For the more high-brow taste, a $200 gourmet experience was offered at the Kawarau Falls Station Pavilion last night, featuring two sets from New Zealand singer Dame Malvina Major.
