The organisers of Queenstown's inaugural Colour Burst Run couldn't have asked for more yesterday, with perfect conditions greeting the 1100 entrants, who were covered in coloured powder even before the run started.
They are are already planning to make the event ‘‘bigger and better'' next year, potentially tripling the number of tickets available.
The event, based on India's Holi Festival, was run by the Queenstown Lakes District Council and held at the Queenstown Events Centre, where runners and walkers - mostly wearing white tops - were set off in waves around the 4km course, to be squirted with coloured powder and water along the way.
While it was a non-competitive event, was 12-year-old Lucas Daish of Queenstown, claimed the honour of first runner home, saying his favourite part was ‘‘getting squirted by the powder''.
Alexandra residents Adele Gott and Carmen Monaghan drove to the resort for the colour run, bringing with them four teenagers to join the fun. Mrs Monaghan said they had wanted to take part in a similar event in Christchurch but didn't make it up there.
‘‘When I saw it advertised here I thought, ‘We've got to do it'.''
The women said the atmosphere at the event was brilliant, with smiles for miles from beginning to end.
Also at the start line yesterday were three friends from Gore. Melodie Gage-Witham, Jules Byars and Robyn Fisken had travelled to Queenstown to take part in the colour run before going paddle-boarding yesterday afternoon.
Ms Gage-Witham said the trio had set themselves a goal of completing 10 fun events during 2015, but had only managed eight. Yesterday's Colour Burst Run was their ninth event and their 10th would be the Taieri Gorge Rail Walk on May 1.
‘‘We just did it for us, to get out and have a bit of fun,'' Ms Gage-Witham said.
Organiser Shantelle Cockroft-Gerken said the organising team was ‘‘stoked'' with how the colour run went.
‘‘We're so happy ... we've honestly just been getting so much positive feedback.'' ‘‘To me, it just seemed like the coolest event - everyone was just so happy and it was a great atmosphere.
‘‘We couldn't have asked for anything more, actually.''
The event sold out two weeks in advance and a ‘‘crazy'' number of people missed out on a ticket.
While that was ‘‘gutting'', Ms Cockroft-Gerken said the organisers may aim for 3000 next year.
‘‘We've already had requests from people saying ‘please do this in Wanaka, or Cromwell' so we'll definitely look into those options.''
The QLDC website says the Colour Burst run is designed to promote community and visitor participation ‘‘in a fun, safe and welcoming environment''. Profits from the event will support and develop community programmes.
