Desert Fair tradition small from beginnings

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 275, 21 February 1989, Page 7

Desert Fair tradition small from beginnings

The Desert Fair is a venture that has become part of Waiouru's tradition. In the 1970's the tradition was started on a very small scale - only a few hundred people came to sample the Waiouru entertainment.

Now it has grown to a patronage of thousands. This year it is shaping up to be bigger and better than previous

Desert Fairs. Not all the details are finalised but a sample of the programme looks like this: 10.00am - A band starts up to set the

mood for the day, 10.30am - the Air Force arrives and a mock battle occurs, leading up to the Commander dropping in to officially open the fair, 1.00pm The Air Force are back with an arobatic display, and then some of the Army's special forces will give a parachuting display.

After this there will be time to go and buy more specialties you noticed over lunch and then some of NZ's best will show their own particular skills - the NZ woodchoppers and rugby league representatives. There are the 'Supertown' events for all to try, health stalls, mini markets, different foods, craft stalls, rides with a difference, the ferris wheel or supertrooper, to name a couple of amusements. The fair, on March 11, will be held just off State Highway 1 at Patterson Field, Waiouru. Admission is 50 cents for children, $2.00 for adults and $5.00 for a family - and all proceeds go to charity. A programme

will cost $1.00 which is also your ticket in a monster raffle. Winning programme numbers will be called out every half hour during the day.