"To my recollection, it was the biggest crowd for an opening party, with a couple of blue sky days and more than 30 floats in the street parade," Mr Green said last night before marshalling the festival's Thriller in the Chiller charity boxing tournament, being held at the Queenstown Events Centre.
It was attended by boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard, from the United States.
"Everyone is having fun and enthusiastic and hopefully it will continue."
Three blonde-wigged and bikini-wearing girls and a guy in trunks from Hush Spa were among the brave souls who plunged into the icy waters of Lake Wakatipu for the popular Birdman competition yesterday.
The Hush Spa team won first place in one of the competitions held during the MoreFM Day on the Bay, at Earnslaw Park, which also saw the Jetsprints, Splash for Dash and H&J's Undy 500.
Thousands lined the streets of downtown Queenstown to watch the Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band lead a procession of community and business groups around the central business district, on Saturday.
Queenstown Primary School won the community float award and the Star Wars-themed Reel Collectibles won the business float award.
Alisa Wood was named the best dressed lady at the Moulin Rouge-inspired Lindauer Masquerade Ball, at the Millennium Hotel, on Saturday night.
Mr Green said while most ticketed events were sold out, tickets to Pop to Pagliacci, an evening of pop musical theatre and light opera, on Wednesday, plus the SkyCity Cabaret Night, on Thursday, were still available.
Upcoming free events included the newly-added Invitational Rail Jam, at Earnslaw Park, on Friday.
The festival will end on Sunday.
