Tuahiwi School principal Melanie Taite-Pitama says she is thrilled with the support for last week's North Canterbury Kapa Haka Festival.
She founded the festival 15 years ago and has watched it grow.
This year's event, held on Thursday and Friday, was no exception, with a record 35 school groups performing across five sessions.
Thursday evening's main event was a sellout, while there were good audiences across the four daytime sessions, she says.
Last week's rain was the only blemish on an otherwise successful event.
For the first time, some of the schools performed Pacific island items, mixed in with their kapa haka performances. ''We loved it,'' Melanie says.
''They have a similar culture, but very different too, and the crowd really loved it.''
Melanie paid tribute to her personal assistant, Berniece Ratahi, for her support, as well as ''a small group of mums'' from Tuahiwi School who visited local businesses to seek sponsorship, and two dads who were out directing parking in the rain on Thursday evening.
