Your guide to the long weekend in Whanganui

After a week of heavy rain the sun should return for the long Easter weekend in Whanganui. Logan Tutty looks at what’s in store for the next four days.

The paddle steamer Waimarie is holding a special Easter weekend cruise on Sunday. Manager Phil Pollero said tickets were selling out fast for the 1pm cruise and urged people to get them as soon as possible.

“There will be face painting on board for the youngsters as well as a visit from the Easter Bunny.”

A small independent circus returns to Whanganui for the weekend after missing out in 2020.

Circus Aotearoa is having shows at Springvale Park on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Owner Damian Gordon and wife Irene Goed run the circus and always love coming to Whanganui.

“I like the town and the people. They know how to have a good time. We always do pretty well at the smaller centres, they have a more laidback, fun attitude.”

Gordon said his show focused on the magnificence of the performers, without the use of loud music or animals.

Performances include all the classics such as juggling, clown acts, acrobatics, aerial manoeuvres, hulahoop displays, unicycle riding and rola-bola.

The Easter Maize Maze in Feilding is returning this year after being cancelled due to Covid-19 in 2020.

The event for the whole family will be running on Friday, Saturday and Sunday where the Easter Bunny will be running around hiding thousands of eggs throughout the three days.

The mission is to find the bunny, find the eggs and then find your way out of the four hectares of maize.

The hunt takes around 20 to 40 minutes.

In the Ruapehu district, three local brewers will be showcased at the Ohakune Beer Festival on Saturday.

There will be a lot of traffic ... so be courteous and keep a safe following distance

Inspector Pete Jones

Ruapehu Brewing Co out of Ohakune and Roots Brewing Co and Lads Brewing Co from Whanganui will be at Kings Bar in Ohakune all Saturday celebrating small independent breweries.

Weather for Easter

Metservice meteorologist Dan Corrigan said there was an easing trend heading into the weekend after days of heavy rain.

“You expect the south-easterlies to be not too strong, but pretty significant, you will feel it,” he said.

On Good Friday, weather is expected to be pretty dry with showers developing later in the day.

Over the weekend, the showers should fade away and those south

easterlies dying down.

“It’s going to be mostly fine with a bit cloud increasing on Sunday. It’s looking like a dry weekend in Whanganui. It will be quite warm for this time of year with a high of 20 degrees on Saturday and 21 degrees on Sunday,” said Corrigan.

A few showers are expected on Easter Monday, with northwesterlies blowing through and a predicted high of 22 degrees.

Road safety

With many more people on the roads travelling between regions police will be out in force.

Police are reminding drivers to slow down and minimise distractions by putting their phone down, and buckling up.

“We want to ensure everyone can enjoy their Easter holiday plans, and return home safely,” Inspector Pete Jones, acting director national road policing centre said.

“To make sure that happens, road safety starts before you get behind the wheel – are you well rested, have you eaten and are you hydrated?

“Once in the car, don’t speed, drive to the conditions, wear your seatbelt and be patient. There will be a lot of traffic on the road so be courteous and keep a safe following distance.”