It was island time in Alexandra yesterday as Van-Aid 2 drew people to Pioneer Park.
Singers from Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands as well as from Central Otago entertained the crowd in the second annual concert organised by aid organisation It's Not About Us.
The Alexandra-based group has been involved in several projects, including installing self-powered water pumps on Vanuatu, and any proceeds from the concert would support that work, organisation trustee Wayne Perkins said.
Some money would also go towards communities in Fiji affected by Cyclone Winston.
Last year's Van-Aid concert, held a couple of weeks after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu, raised $10,000.
Several hundred people - seasonal workers and locals- attended yesterday's free concert and Mr Perkins said he was happy with the attendance and the atmosphere.
The proceeds from the day would not be known until later in the week.
"But this isn't about getting money out of people.
"We just want to show people what our group does and share some island music with everyone and we're getting good support from the community.''
Free screenings of a video featuring the organisation's work were broadcast at the Central Cinema during the concert.
Bands made up of seasonal workers from Vanuatu based in Roxburgh, Cromwell and Alexandra were among those who entertained the crowd.
The concert was planned to run for about four hours "but we're on island time today, so that ending time might be a bit flexible'', Mr Perkins said.
