When asked if she wanted to spend three days this week biking, hiking, kayaking and abseiling with three complete strangers in China, Wanaka's Simone Maier did not need much convincing.
If an army marches on its stomach, then Wanaka caterers Crissy and Mark Langford know exactly how to support their troops.
Secret knitters have "bombed" Wanaka with yarn, keeping locals guessing as to who is behind the colourful prank.
Many of Wanaka's businesses opened their doors yesterday, flouting the Easter trading laws for a second day.
John Darby and Murray Sheppard helped to hang the Wanaka Art Society exhibition yesterday. The artwork is Dancing with the Jars by Helen Luxton.
When Wanaka toddler Ciara Hovey (2) starts her next fight against a rare soft-tissue cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma, in Christchurch today, her bald teachers at Oanaka Educare Centre will have every reason to be thinking about her.
Agresearch scientist Cor Vink has confirmed the venomous Australian redback spider found in John Barrow's vegetable patch in Albert Town last week was a sub-adult female and would not have started breeding.
The secret to the art of writing is, first, it is a job and, second, it is not an art.
Hugh Barnard has the peripatetic lifestyle and patchwork career common to many a Wanaka outdoor enthusiast.
The Wanaka Festival of Colour relies on support from dozens of volunteers. Retired physiotherapist Sue Webb has helped at all four arts festivals. Marjorie Cook discovers why she steps forward.
What goes on tour usually stays on tour - unless you take playwright Roger Hall.
Pos Mavaega is relishing the opportunity to bring a six-piece ensemble from Pacific Undergound to Wanaka tomorrow to perform at the Festival of Colour.
Wanaka's Festival of Colour sparked into life on the lakefront yesterday morning with the opening of Pouwhenua - Billboards: Markers on the Land.
Aaron Blackledge
Aaron Blackledge (19) dreams of going to Toi Whakaari, New Zealand Drama School, but missed the last intake of 10 students, so he is using his first year out of school to gain more performing arts experience. He talks to Wanaka reporter Marjorie Cook.
Q: What are you doing for the Festival of Colour?
Jennifer Ward-Lealand
Actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand and pianist Michael Houstoun are tasked with bringing alive the character of painter Rita Angus and the music of her lover, composer Douglas Lilburn, in Dave Armstrong's new multi-media production.
Marjorie Cook reports.
Q: Tell me about Rita and whether you enjoy playing her?
The University of Otago's Centre for Science Communication has gone from newest kid on the block to the institution's third most popular master's student programme in less than four years.
Wanaka's culture vultures were hovering with nervous anticipation yesterday as they put the finishing touches to the 2011 Festival of Colour.
The two men tasked with pulling together the 37-event, $800,000 Festival of Colour in Wanaka this week are confident they have a recipe for ongoing success.
Albert Town resident John Barrow is planning to work more carefully in his vegetable garden after discovering a venomous Australian redback spider in his silver beet on Thursday night.
The Wanaka Rowing Club is emerging as piggy-in-the-middle as community debate about buildings on the resort's lakefront heats up.
