In the normally quiet Maniototo township of Naseby about 1000
people gathered yesterday for the fifth annual Naseby Family
Fun Day - about 10 times the town's usual population.
Fun day organiser Bill Morice, of Naseby, said many were frm
the Maniototo but there were also holidaymakers and ''people
from the surrounding areas'', many dressed in Victorian-era
costume.
The annual event also marked the beginning of a week-long
celebration of the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold
in the area.
Children and adults alike took part in ''traditional old-time
games'' such as egg-and-spoon races, wheelbarrow races and a
tug-of-war before the celebrations were officially opened by
Stewart Francis.
Mr Morice said he was amazed at the turnout, ''especially
because of the weather - it was blowing 100 miles an hour
before [earlier yesterday afternoon].
''Please just give us some decent weather tomorrow'', he
said.
The second event of the gold celebrations, a 19km walk from
Naseby to Waipiata, begins today between 8am and 9am and is
followed by another fun day in Waipiata.
sarah.marquet@odt.co.nz
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