Academy hits seventh year
Balclutha’s Big River Trades Academy celebrated seven successful years supporting savvy students into sectors suffering skills shortages, last week.
2010 Queenstown Winter Festival
Eat, drink and be massaged
Eat, drink and be massaged
A bright red Lamborghini Gallardo coupled with Champagne, canapes and mini-massages will be on offer for the public from midday today in a luxury lounge in Queenstown's Earnslaw Park.
Festival best marketed event of year
Festival best marketed event of year
The American Express Queenstown Winter Festival was hailed as the best-marketed event in New Zealand over the past year and boosted its year-on-year media profile by 62%, despite a cut in its marketing budget.
All go as festival enters final days
All go as festival enters final days
The mountains moved to the town in Queenstown last night as the 2010 Queenstown Winter Festival entered its final weekend.
Dogs have their day at Coronet Peak
Dogs have their day at Coronet Peak
Normally obedient dogs caused havoc at Coronet Peak yesterday during the annual Dog Derby, one of the Queenstown Winter Festival's longest-running events.
Drag race queens take a walk on the wild side
Drag race queens take a walk on the wild side
After five years as the bridesmaid, Queenstown publisher Richard Thomas, also known as "Beach Barbie" finally became the bride, when he won both the Miss Personality sash and the overall Queenstown Winter Festival Drag Race, yesterday.
Sola Rosa looking forward to playing Winter Fest
Sola Rosa looking forward to playing Winter Fest
Ask Andrew Spraggon what he thinks will be the highlight of 2010 for Sola Rosa and he says without hesitation "playing on top of the mountain in Queenstown".
Winter sports: Change of climes for surfer
Winter sports: Change of climes for surfer
Maz Quinn swapped his surfboard for a sport of a different kind in Queenstown yesterday, taking part in the inaugural dodgeball event as part of the Winter Festival.
Woman injured but Birdman to stay
Woman injured but Birdman to stay
The future of the Birdman competition - a popular feature of the Queenstown Winter Festival - looks secure, despite a serious injury to a competitor in this year's event.
Organisers kept parade decision from public
Organisers kept parade decision from public
Queenstown Winter Festival organisers knew in advance there would be no parade as part of Tuesday night's Mardi Gras, because of insufficient funding, but chose not to tell the public.
Mardi Gras festivity warms cold night
Mardi Gras festivity warms cold night
As the temperature in Queenstown dropped last night, the crowds began to swell at Earnslaw Park, ready for one of the most anticipated event in this year's Queenstown Winter Festival.
Sugar Ray leads charity shaved heads
Sugar Ray leads charity shaved heads
More than 90 shaved heads gleamed in the winter sun on arrival at Queenstown Airport yesterday and their owners have raised at least $75,000 in support of the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation.
Opening events a big hit with crowds
Opening events a big hit with crowds
"Spectacularly well" is how American Express Winter Festival director Simon Green described the going so far last night, after thousands of people from around the country and overseas arrived to swell the population of the Wakatipu for the 10-day extravaganza.
Queenstown embraces festival spirit
Queenstown embraces festival spirit
Thousands of residents and visitors lined the streets of downtown Queenstown to enjoy the colour, music and spectacle of the 2010 Queenstown Winter Festival parade today. The Queenstown and...
Conditions perfect for opening of winter festival
Conditions perfect for opening of winter festival
Let the madness, hilarity and partying begin.
Queenstown, it's time to party
Queenstown, it's time to party
Tonight, the celebrations for the 36th annual Queenstown Winter Festival will begin with a bang, after Prime Minister John Key officially declares the 10-day festival open.
Marine theme on parade
Marine theme on parade
Among the floats featuring in this year's Winter Festival street parade will be a first-time participant with an underwater-themed entry.
Ready, steady winter festival
Ready, steady winter festival
More than 40,000 visitors and 20,000 locals will turn Queenstown into the party capital of the Pacific for the next 10 days, with the launch today of the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival.
Festival fever snowballing
Festival fever snowballing
Excitement is snowballing at Coronet Peak as the ski area gears up towards the 36th Queenstown Winter Festival, which starts on Friday.
Festival shapes up 'spectacularly'
Festival shapes up 'spectacularly'
Just 14 days remain until the southern hemisphere's biggest winter party begins, officially marking the start of Winter 2010, and this year's organisers are pulling out all stops to ensure no-one will be left disappointed.