The Oamaru Performing Arts Festival is making a comeback and entries this year have exceeded expectations.
''Overwhelmed'' and ''amazed'' was the reaction from festival publicity officer Rosemary Zwies after more than 1000 entries from about 200 competitors were received for the 82nd festival, from May 15 to 17.
Entrants would be converging on Oamaru from as far away as Auckland and Invercargill, she said.
About 700 entries were received for last year's festival.
At its peak, the festival attracted thousands of entries, ran for a week and concluded with a big public concert.
However, interest in singing, dancing and speech declined and the festival was eventually reduced to a weekend.
Now, numbers appeared to be building again.
Mrs Zwies said last year's numbers may have been affected by a clash with a similar West Coast event, but she also believed there was now more interest among children in ballet, highland and tap dancing.
At a glance
Oamaru Performing Arts Festival
• What: Singing, dancing and speech competitions
• When: May 15-17
• Where: Oamaru Opera House
