Thousands of people packed themselves, mostly cheerfully, into the inner-city streets of Dunedin for a colourful Thieves' Alley Market Day on Saturday.
"Traffic jam. Beep, beep," one young pedestrian joked at one point, in a heavily crowded Bath St, as she faced a wall of fellow pedestrians heading in the opposite direction.
Walking was reduced to a snail's pace and, at times, to thoughtfully prolonged standing on the spot, as large streams of people heading in at least two different directions converged in the middle of the narrow street.
Some claustrophobic folk may have found the experience somewhat frustrating and overwhelming at times, but most busy shoppers had no misgivings about being jammed into a packed Bath St, and revelled in the annual market.
Omakau-born Gretchen Hoseit, who now lives in Perth, said the day was "fantastic".
She was thoroughly enjoying her return trip to Dunedin.
This was the best market she had seen in New Zealand, with a "really good range" of arts, crafts and other things on sale.
"The things that Kiwis do best are creative things."
While at the market, she bought a special ring from contemporary jeweller Debra Fallowfield.
The former Dunedin resident, who now lives in Christchurch, has long been selling her work at the Thieves' Alley market.
"I always enjoy it," Ms Fallowfield said.
Warm weather, Masters Games participants and visiting cruise-ship passengers added to the crowd numbers.
"It's absolutely buzzing," Dunedin City Council events team leader Marilyn Anderson said.
A total of 350 stalls were operating, up from 300 last year, organisers said.
Thousands of people had flowed through the Octagon, Lower Stuart St, Bath St and George St during the day.
Ms Anderson believed this was the largest crowd the market had yet attracted.
