CARNIVAL RETURNS
Get your jandals, swimsuit, sunhats and cash ready because the Oa¯kura New Year’s Day celebration is back.
Canned this year because it cost more to run that it made, the annual beach day has been resurrected thanks to the Oa¯ kura Beach Carnival Trust joining forces with Nga¯ motu Beach Seaside Market founder Zoe Harris.
The newly-dubbed Oa¯kura Beach Carnival Market will take place on New Year’s Day 2018, with more than 60 craft and food stalls, music, children’s entertainment and more still to be organised.
Richie Shearer, who has been helping organise the event for the past eight years, said the collaboration between the two groups meant they could bring the carnival back for everyone to enjoy.
‘‘It celebrates summer, it celebrates Oa¯kura, it celebrates the community, it brings everybody together for a really cool relaxed day.’’
Shearer said the event had always been run to fundraise money for local groups, but it had got to the point where it cost far more than it made - hence the cancellation this year.
‘‘We found that we weren’t able to raise enough funds to make it meaningful,’’ he said. ‘‘We might have $1000 to distribute to like five clubs, so it’s barely worth while.’’
The carnival had been traditionally run by the New Plymouth Old Boys’ Surf Lifesaving Club, but they had a similar issue eight years ago and called it quits.
This was when the Oa¯kura Beach Carnival Trust was created and took over the organisation of the event.
Shearer said next year was more about the carnival itself and less about trying to raise money.
‘‘We expect some of the local clubs might want to be involved, so all of those clubs will be asked if they want to come down and sell raffle tickets, or operate a sausage sizzle,’’ he said.
Harris, who has been running the Nga¯ motu Beach Seaside Market for nearly four years, said she was looking forward to the event and was disappointed by its absence this year.
‘‘I’ve always been a fan of the carnival,’’ she said.
‘‘I’ve just lived here for 10 years, but I’ve come since I’ve lived here.
‘‘I mean who wouldn’t like it? It’s cool - there’s nothing else like it.’’
Harris’ seaside market runs once a month and sees between 3000 and 5000 visitors each event.
Her stall owners know, and trust her, which makes it far easier to organise get togethers.
‘‘It’s a bit easier when you’ve already got your fingers in the pie,’’ she said. Harris said the event would entertain the masses.
‘‘We’re going with something for everybody - obviously it’s a family event, so that’s kids to grandparents.’’
Shearer still remembers the carnival from when he was younger and hopes he can continue to bring that feeling to others.
‘‘It was one of the biggest days of the year,’’ he said.
‘‘Hopefully kids will get that feeling - that they’re at an event with thousands of people, lots of colour, and things to play on.’’
Harris said they were open for stall bookings and interested parties could contact her on zoehello@theseasidemarket.co.nz