The Kahu Youth group organised the annual end-of-winter parade this year, while Wanakafest organisers take a year out to raise funds for next year's festival.
While the parade had fewer floats than in previous years, there was no holding back when it came to passion, energy and imagination, with hundreds of children dressed up as witches and wizards, flowers and fairies or film and cartoon characters, and riding on floats entered by their schools and preschools.
A large cohort of about 100 pupils from Dance Wanaka danced non-stop along the entire route, while a newly-formed and brightly-clothed drumming group made their first public appearance at the front of the parade.
Dozens of future children also joined the parade, courtesy of their expectant Wanaka mums, who were wearing tight, tummy-revealing tops.
Newborn babies didn't miss out either, and were pushed down the hill in prams by their mums or dads, while Plunket volunteers took the opportunity to fill their collection buckets with spectators' small change.
Ambulances, skateboarders, stilt walkers, scooters, segway riders and characters from Wanaka's fledgling farmers' market also joined the route.
Near the rear was a dancing horse, Reverend, from Motatapu Station's stables, expertly handled by trainer Jose Ortiz.
Reverend was concentrating hard on his quickstep routine and didn't seem to be too perturbed by the water bombers lurking outside Quest or the occasional burst from fire engine sirens behind him.
An aerial display by a Tiger Moth and a Mustang over the lakefront closed the parade.
That signalled the start of two hours of activities, music and entertainment, on Pembroke Park.
Constable Bruce McLean, a self-proclaimed morning tea champion, was no match for his colleague, Constable Mike Johnston, who managed to out-swallow all competitors in the Kahu Youth/Wanaka police doughnut-eating competition.
Five children and three police officers demolished two cream buns each; all the time egged on by a large, screaming crowd.
