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Senior Queen honour met with disbelief
It seems appropriate the first event of the Alexandra Blossom Festival is the crowning of the Senior Queen, which recognises the community work the nominees do, often unnoticed.
Blossom Festival
Festival early bird tickets go on sale
Festival early bird tickets go on sale
Central Otago residents can get their hands on tickets for the region’s favourite party ahead of everyone else.
Tickets tomorrow
Tickets tomorrow
Central Otago locals can now get their hands on tickets for the region’s biggest annual event.
Large Blossom Festival blaze shut down
Large Blossom Festival blaze shut down
Several small explosions were sparked from a backyard fire after drunken revellers threw flammable objects on to it during Alexandra's annual Blossom Festival over the weekend.
Sun shines on Blossom Festival crowds
Sun shines on Blossom Festival crowds
Thousands of people packed the streets of Alexandra and Pioneer Park for the Blossom Festival grand parade and Saturday in the Park today.
'Offensive' float banned from parade
'Offensive' float banned from parade
For the first time in the Alexandra Blossom Festival's history, aspects of a float have been deemed offensive and it will not appear in tomorrow's 57th annual procession.
Stars align for bumper Blossom Festival
Stars align for bumper Blossom Festival
A bumper crowd, perfect weather, lots of happy smiling faces and few arrests - the stars all aligned this year for the 56th Blossom Festival's main weekend.
'Relatively trouble-free'
'Relatively trouble-free'
Antisocial behaviour during the Blossom Festival weekend continues to drop and the number of arrests this year was the lowest for 16 years.
Thumbs up for festival from pair of Aussie jokers
Thumbs up for festival from pair of Aussie jokers
The Blossom Festival got the "thumbs-up" from Australian comedy duo Hamish Blake and Andy Lee.
Blossom Festival's float creativity extended
Blossom Festival's float creativity extended
The revised criteria for Alexandra Blossom Festival floats has been officially announced - no longer will a covering of crepe paper flowers be essential for a float to be entered into the competition.
Rules about floats eased
Rules about floats eased
Seasoned Alexandra Blossom Festival float builder Lyn Quinn says the relaxation of rules for competitive floats will not detract from the festival.
'Rewarded' for festival turnaround
'Rewarded' for festival turnaround
The turnaround in the fortunes of the Alexandra Blossom Festival was noted by the Vincent Community Board this week and "rewarded" with a grant of $26,000 for this year's event.
People: Alexandra Blossom Festival
People: Alexandra Blossom Festival
At the Alexandra Blossom Festival on Saturday, September 24.
Cold weather cuts numbers but Buzzy Bee still flies high
Cold weather cuts numbers but Buzzy Bee still flies high
Despite the weather turning nasty just after the Alexandra Blossom Festival float procession, event organisers are still basking in a warm glow.
1000 see mardi gras launch festival
1000 see mardi gras launch festival
The blossom was in full bloom on the fruit trees yesterday as the family fun started in the 55th annual Alexandra Blossom Festival.
Friendliness up, arrests well down
Friendliness up, arrests well down
The message that it is not worth "looking for trouble" at the Alexandra Blossom Festival seems to be getting through, police say, with the number of arrests this year the lowest for 15 years.
Alexandra Blossom Festival
Alexandra Blossom Festival
Despite the cold, thousands turned out to watch the Blossom Festival Parade in Alexandra on Saturday. ODT photographer Gerard O'Brien was there to capture the event.
Inviting oil painting wins
Inviting oil painting wins
A scene that invited the viewer to "climb into the painting and relax" won top honours in the Central Otago Art Society's Blossom Festival Art Exhibition.
Round the clock race signals start of festival activities
Round the clock race signals start of festival activities
Festivities for the 55th annual Alexandra Blossom Festival begin tonight with the Round the Clock Race and the Mardi Gras.
Festivities begin with regal event
Festivities begin with regal event
Official celebrations for the 2011 Alexandra Blossom Festival began yesterday with the crowning of the senior queen.