High spirits at Toast Martinborough festival
The weather threatened but the rain held off as thousands flooded into Wairarapa yesterday for the annual Toast Martinborough festival.
The wine festival is one of the region’s largest events with music, big crowds and copious amounts of wine flooding the South Wairarapa township of Martinborough.
As was the case last year, tickets were limited to 8000 festival-goers, doing away with the rowdy 10,000-plus crowds of the past.
Toast Martinborough general manager Anna Nielson said the reduction eased the situation for both the town’s infrastructure and its visitors. ‘‘Our aim is to focus on flow, to manage how people experience the day so for them it’s a seamless experience.’’
A dreary, grey morning greeted busloads of festival-goers but the early rain eased and a blanket of humidity settled over the vineyards.
People came early. An employee in the town square watched as scores of people hopped on buses and headed off to the individual vineyards scattered around the town.
By 11.30am, he estimated between 30 and 40 packed busloads had already made their way out.
The drinking – or should that be tasting? – began in earnest. Bus rides were fairly raucous affairs even before midday, but the trips after 1pm were louder, as off-key singing mixed with colourful language.
There were cries of drunken anguish as people realised they had missed their stop – a recurring problem as the day wore on.
Different vineyards had different characteristics. Luna Estate was laidback with a fairly indifferent crowd watching Delaney Davidson display a masterclass in looping. How many sounds can you get out of an acoustic guitar? According to Davidson, at least, an entire band.
Things were rowdier up the road. Margrain Vineyard got going with The Fox And The Woolf, but Vynfields was on fire with Irish cover band The Shenanigans.
At one point, there were no fewer than four young women dancing on stage with the band. ‘‘I think things suddenly got a lot more attractive up here,’’ the singer quipped.
Unlike previous years, the police presence was relatively low key. Come 4pm, there was no obvious signs of people having partied too hard, although a few patrons were seen hauling themselves out of bushes, clutching their hats and wine glasses.
People were generally happy. ‘‘It’s my first time here, and it’s bloody good,’’ Masterton’s Cam Smart said. ‘‘I don’t say this lightly but I’m really impressed. It’s exceeded my expectations.’’
The festival had experienced problems in the past with intoxicated festival-goers. Last year, several vineyards dropped out of the event over concerns about drunken antics.
Nielson said measures had been put in place to make sure things didn’t get out of hand. ‘‘Last year there were no charges, no arrests. We changed everything around ... it’s made for a better experience.’’