If the Port Chalmers Seafood Festival had a popularity contest for marine life forms, crayfish and whitebait, or their taste perhaps, would have won hands down.
The queue in front of a stall featuring the crustacean and the galaxid juveniles was 60 to 70 people long, but the resulting 20-minute wait did not put punters off.
It was just one of 40 food stalls and a dozen craft and information stalls at an event that attracted a good crowd, despite the cold and rain.
Festival committee chairwoman Tara Duncan said the event was the result of 18 months of work by a committee of 20, and a turnout of 80 volunteers.
She expected with the weather being ''rubbish'' numbers might be down, but was hoping for between 4000 and 5000. The festival needed 2500 to break even.
This year's event included the Monarch ferrying people from the city, and the Vivenne J shuttling people between Port Chalmers and Portobello.
Dunedin Railways also ran between the port and Dunedin Railway Station.
Organisations in line to receive a share of the takings included the Otago Community Hospice, the Port Chalmers Rowing Club and local Lions clubs.
Apart from the serious business of eating, its necessary precursor, cooking, was also popular.
A marquee set up to provide demonstrations was packed, with standing room only.
Ms Duncan said the popularity of the festival, which has run every second year since 2011, was a result of Dunedin people wanting to celebrate Port Chalmers, and get a chance to visit the usually closed harbourside at the port.
The dredge and excavator that has been working on a deepening programme to admit larger ships to the port was kept working at the container terminal on the day, to allow people to see it in action.
• A car lost its front bumper after parking too close to the railway line in Beach St during the festival.
Police said the car's bumper was torn off by a Dunedin Railways train.
Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of Southern District Command Centre said about 20 cars had parked on yellow lines in the street.
The Dunedin City Council parking department had been called.
