Festival draws customers to have a drink

Musicians stimulated the sound of cash registers in Arrowtown on Saturday, when bars experienced their busiest day.

The Fork And Tap owner Jeannie Crawford organised the Arrow Sounds Festival to give local musicians the chance to perform and earn a crust after lockdown.

"Oh my goodness, it was so busy, we have never had that many people, all the bars were the same, that’s our biggest day we have ever done, it was a huge success."

"We couldn’t believe how many people were out and came into Arrowtown, even right from the start at 12."

Buskers and the Paint People kicked things off with performances along Buckingham Street, while there was spoken poetry at Postmasters.

From then on, stages at the Bendix Stables, the Fork and Tap, Slow Cuts, New Orleans, and The Blue Door, hosted musicians all the way through to midnight.

Orbus and Matt Rhodes of Pure Tours then put on special buses to get people home around the Wakatipu area.

Mrs Crawford said she hoped to put on a two-day event later in the year when it was warmer.