About 140 hardy souls enjoyed themselves at indoor events at
the Catlins Woodstock Music Festival on Saturday, despite the
heavy rain, which resulted in most of the planned weekend
music events being cancelled.
Festival convener Russell Kirk (70) said he had taken the bad
weather and the necessary change of plans in his stride.
"I just feel relieved that we got through so well."
He had been a main organiser throughout the festival's
21-year history, and was optimistic that it would continue.
But it was time for him to take a secondary role in future
events.
Systems were in place, high-quality organisers were already
contributing and there was a great deal of enthusiasm about
the festival's future, he said.
Staged in a paddock south of Owaka, the festival is set in a
natural amphitheatre and has previously attracted crowds of
up to 3000 people.
The festival is usually held on the third weekend in January
but had earlier been postponed this year because the paddock
was sodden after prolonged unseasonal rain.
About 100 people had enjoyed five hours of live music under
cover at the Catlins Woodstock Lodge function centre on
Saturday.
About 40 other people had also enjoyed themselves well into
that night with karaoke activities in a nearby shed, dubbed
the "Woodstock Hilton".
The many participants had responded positively to being
advised early on Saturday that much of the show, including
yesterday's events, would not be proceeding as planned
because of the continuing bad weather, including "horizontal
rain" on Saturday and high winds yesterday.
Mr Kirk recalled that when the festival was first being
mooted 21 years ago, his wife, Veda, had jokingly suggested
it be called "Catlins Woodstock" and the name had stuck.
john.gibb@odt.co.uk
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