Alana Mackay takes a deep breath and tries to sum up the Main Street Carnival and Art Market in Cambridge on Sunday.
“We managed to pull something together,” the Autumn Festival Trust chair says modestly about the record 5000 people who crammed into town to take in all that was on offer.
“We always want people to have a good time.”
Star turn: Tina Turley (Canadian Blues guest) and stilt walker Sandra Jensen of Hamilton’s Freelunch Street Theatre on the Victoria Square stage. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce foot counts midway down Victoria Street put the numbers at just under 3000 – a 107 per cent increase on the same Sunday last year.
“It was the best I’ve seen for a long time,” said chief executive Kelly Bouzaid.
“What those numbers show you that when there’s an event on like this, people will come into the CBD.”
“Alana Mackay is a pro when it comes to things like this. Her events just get bigger and better.”
Visitors came from around the Waikato, Taranaki and Auckland with a few international visitors stumbling on the festival, said Mackay.
The additional 2000 attended the events in Victoria Square and outside the Town Hall where a recent find under the hall provided one of the day’s highlights.
General manager Simon Brew found giant chess set pieces and put them out on the piazza where they were a big hit with families.
“I’m pleased we used that different space in the square and the Town Hall so the whole thing came together,” said Mackay.
Busy bees: Yonatan, Inbar, Noga, 3, and Ella, 1, Weissler moved to Cambridge from Israel four months ago and are loving the town.
Yonatan and Inbar Weissler – who emigrated from Israel four months ago with their two children Noga, 3, and Ella, 2 – took the opportunity to dress up as bumble bees.
The couple work as software engineers in Hamilton and live in Cambridge. “We just love it here and after today, we love it even more.”
New Plymouth couple Nancy and David Roberts were staying with family and appreciated the opportunity to sit down on one of the benches donated by the late Jack Shannon.
“It was a really good vibe in town,” said Mackay who reported the festival’s other events were also going well.
Seats have had to be added to the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band’s concert at Te Awa Lifecare on Saturday following the iconic group’s announcement it would be their final gig.
The Enchanted Frozen Storytime in Cambridge Library was packed out as Elsa from Frozen entertained the children.
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Brenda Broderick, left and Janice Sykes celebrate at the Cambridge Autumn Festival.
Peter Watt, president of the Cambridge Woodturners.
Guitarist Andy Starr drew an admiring crowd with his skilled rendition of some heavy metal numbers.
Cambridge-based Affirmation livened up the proceedings with spirited performances by Grant Mason (trumpet), Bill Forest (sax), Ben Gilgen (keyboard), Steve Mills (drums), Chris McMahon (bass), and John Worth (guitar).
Beverley Beetlestone of Cambridge Creative Fibre.
Donning the green for St Patrick’s Day were Cambridge’s Susan and Maurice Brownlee, who were manning a stall of hand-crafted bags and other items.
These three members of the Cambridge Cruisers Rock ‘n Roll Dancers – Colleen Ryan, Jim Berry and Pam Berry – drew a crowd with their high-flying moves.
Playing chess outside the Cambridge Town Hall during the Autumn Festival.
Kyan Moore, 2 1/2, dancing to the music at Cambridge Autumn Festival.
The News columnist Peter Nicholl plays the ukelele in the Riverside Ukes at the Cambridge Autumn Festival.
Tony Hill leads the Riverside Ukes in song at the Cambridge Autumn Festival.
Hamilton’s Andrew Bloodworth of the Cambridge Cruisers Rock ‘n Roll Dancers took a spin with stilt walker Sandra Jensen of Hamilton’s Freelunch Street Theatre.
Oscar, 10, and Alfie Stevenson, 8, led on the guitar by their tutor Jacob Nelson, entertaining the carnival crowds.
Autumn Festival chair Alana Mackay claps along with the Nukes Ukelele Trio.
The Waikato Modern Choir – Mosaic – in full voice.
Andrea Goodman of Cambridge who sings in Mosaic, the Waikato Modern Choir.
Katie Gander’s Chinese Sugar Art was a sweet success.
The popular Mosaic Waikato Modern Choir kicked things off in Empire St, with a performance under the baton of musical director Brooke Baker.
Stilt walkers Sandra Jensen and Nicola Rowlands, who are from Freelunch Street Theatre in Hamilton, were a big hit with everyone. Photo: Viv Posselt.
Photo: Jane Thompson
Photo: Jane Thompson
Photo: Jane Thompson
