The hero is, by tradition, the guest of honour at the festival-closing show, this year being staged on April 25 at the Athenaeum Hall.
Arrowtown resident Taylor Reed was awarded the 2008 Unsung Hero Award, which hangs proudly in his living room among several awards for public and community service.
The annual award is a popular addition to the festival programme. The trophy itself is a distinctive limestone sculpture by local artist Conor McNicolas.
The inaugural winner was Dave Duston, who was recognised for his many years of service to the Arrow Entertainers.
Since then, former mayor Jack Reid has been given the award for service to the town, Russell Mason has been recognised for his many years of service to the local Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Shotover Country Music Club, and Eeon Ryan for his tireless work in ridding the town of wasps.
Mr Reed was nominated for service to the town.
He served the Arrowtown borough as a councillor for 15 years, the last six as deputy mayor.
After the council was amalgamated with the Queenstown Lakes District Council in 1989 he served another three terms before finally stepping down after 24 years.
A charter president of the Arrowtown Lions Club, he has also served on the executive of the Arrow Curling Club and the Arrowtown Bowling Club.
Mr Reed continues to serve the community on the Arrowtown Post Office and Lakes District Museum Board, as well as being secretary of the Arrowtown RSA, vice-president of the local Probus chapter, and a member of the QLDC Planning and Advisory Group.
Mr Reed acknowledges he would like to pass on some of his responsibilities to others, but is finding it hard to locate people willing to step up.
"People just don't seem to have time these days," he said.
Arrowtown Autumn Festival chairman Lex Perkins said there were many "Unsung Heroes" in the community, with nominations now open for the 2010 award.
"We can only award it to one person annually, yet the nominations grow in number every year, so long may the Unsung Hero Award continue."
• Anyone wishing to nominate an Unsung Hero can pick up an entry form from the Lakes District Museum, or download it from the festival's website, www.arrowtownautumnfestival.org.nz.
~ PROGRAMME ~
The 2010 Arrowtown Autumn Festival programme is:
Today
- 7.30pm: Lakes District Museum art exhibition, $5 entry, Lakes District Museum
Tomorrow
- 9.30am-11am: The Golden Times vintage car display and rally, Butlers Green
- 10am: Market at Village Green
- 10am: Festival ticket and information booth, outside the Arrowtown Library
- 10am-1pm: Bikes 4 Fun, Buckingham St (gold coin donation)
- 10.30am: Sir R Wolley's Street Theatre, Buckingham St
- 11am-1pm: Gold panning, Buckingham St
- 11am-3pm: Lodge Arrow Kilwinning No 86 open day, Wiltshire St
- 11am-Noon: Timaru Dixieland Jazz Band, Buckingham Green
- 12.15pm-12.45pm: Live entertainment, Buckingham Green
- 12.50pm-1.50pm: The Heartleys, Buckingham Green
- 1.50pm: Jag Air flyover
- 2pm: Festival street parade, Buckingham St
- 3pm-4pm: Timaru Dixieland Jazz Band, Buckingham Green
- 7.30pm: 70's Disco Inferno, Athenaeum Hall.
Sunday
- 10am-Noon: The Golden Times vintage car display and rally, Butlers Green
- 10am-4pm: Mind, Body and Soul expo, $3 entry, children under 12 free, Athenaeum Hall
- 10am: Arrow Ambles, meet at Lakes District Museum
- 10.30am: Combined Church autumn festival service, Buckingham Green
- 11am-3pm: Lodge Arrow Kilwinning No 86 open day, Wiltshire St
- Noon-2pm: Jazz at the Royal Oak, Royal Oak courtyard
- 1pm: Shotover Country Music Club concert, Buckingham Green
- 1pm: Fat Tyre mountain bike treasure hunt, gold coin donation, meet at Butlers Green
- 2pm: Company on parade, $15, Athenaeum Hall
- 3.30pm-5pm: Children's cooking classes - make a meal, $5, Arrowtown School Hall
- 7.30pm: Company on parade, $15, Athenaeum Hall.
- Michelle Buckham
