Crowd warms to celebration

Pauline May, of Queenstown, weaves a briefcase during Waitangi Day celebrations in the Queenstown...
Pauline May, of Queenstown, weaves a briefcase during Waitangi Day celebrations in the Queenstown Gardens on Friday. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Locals and tourists mingled in a celebration of Waitangi Day at Queenstown Gardens yesterday.

Organiser Leah Webster said cold temperatures were a ''bit of a deterrent'' in the early stages of the afternoon event, but the crowd built up steadily as the sun came out.

Now in its 12th year, the event featured live music, kapa haka performances, flax weaving, Maori massage, moko face painting and the telling of Maori stories of the Wakatipu.

Whitebait patties had been particularly popular.

Ms Webster said MC Jeremy Van Reil had done a particularly fine job.

''He's so inclusive and really piquing the crowd's curiosity.''

 

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