Queenstowners had a plethora of events to choose from at the weekend as 1200 people turned out for the Gibbston Harvest Festival, more than 800 women got active at the Real Women's Duathlon, ex-Little River Band frontman Glen Shorrick played at the Queenstown Memorial Hall and punters looking for bargain real estate attended the Jack's Point Mega Land Sale.
The Wakatipu was blessed with good weather on Saturday as the Gibbston Harvest Festival attracted a strongly family-oriented crowd for a day of local food, wine-tasting, barrel-rolling competitions and live music.
Although numbers were slightly down on last year, organiser Stacey Farrell said it was a great opportunity for Gibbston wineries to showcase their wines, including smaller wineries that did not have cellar door sales such as Gibbston Highgate Estate and Wild Hare.
"A lot of people appreciated the live music, the weather was fantastic, everyone seemed to be really happy.
"This year we have a lot of children and young families, so it really was a good family outing."
Money raised from the festival, to be given to the Queenstown Swim Club, was still being counted yesterday, while Chard Farm Wines was donating its profits from the day to the Red Cross earthquake appeal.
Organisers expected yesterday morning's Real Women's Duathlon at Millbrook, Arrowtown, to be the biggest of the nine events held throughout the country this year.
Event manager Maria Fooy said more than 870 women took part in the event, which consisted of a 3.5km run/walk, a 10km bike ride, and finally a 1.5km run/walk to the finish.
"It ran really, really smoothly, and all of the families were really supportive; there were no accidents and injuries, she said.
"It's all about getting out there, participating and giving it a go."
Jack's Point auction
Later yesterday, nine of the 22 Jack's Point land lots were sold under silent auction at Ray White's Queenstown Mega Land Sale - all but one at the reserve price.
The residential sections were auctioned off to a small crowd of bidders and agents at the Jack's Point Clubhouse for between $165,000 and $206,000.
Ray White principal/director Bas Smith said they were "really stoked" with the outcome of the auction and had received interest in the majority of the remaining sites.
He expected deals would be met with registered bidders for most of the sections within the next week.
