Winter Kick-Off With Weekend Carnival

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 286, 9 May 1989, Page 1 (Supplement)

Winter Kick-Off With Weekend Carnival

Queen's Birthday weekend has been the traditional start to the winter season and this year the occasion is to be again marked with a carnival at Ohakune.

Once again it will be held mostly in Thames S treet in the Ohakune Junction and the aim, says co-ordinator Allan Crossman, is "to bring people to town to have fun". The weekend will feature such activities as a beer festival, live entertainment, sports events, stalls, demonstrations, pavement painting, Thames Street "ski" races, dancers, quick fire raffles, tube riding on the Mangawhero river, waiter and waitress racing,

a photo and painting competition, train trips, amountain bike race and, of course, a carrot eating contest. On the cards, but yet to be confirmed are wood chopping, an aerobics and ski fitness demonstration and helicopter flights. Season pass A raffle to be run leading up to the carnival will have a Turoa Season Pass, val-

ued at $690, as a prize along with Ruapehu Outback Adventures activities and liquor from the Ohakune Hotel. Last year a huge number of prizes were donated by local businesses for the various activities and raffles and most will be doing it again this year. Most of these activities will take place on Saturday, with visitors left free the rest of the weekend to take part in the numerous Ruapehu adventures offered. Sponsorship Kiwi Lager were involved in a big way last year in bringing people to the town on the inaugural run of the Kiwi Lager Ski Express. This year they have agreed to provide support in the form of sponsorship for the event. Negotiations are still under way with New Zealand Railways to run the Kiwi Lager Ski Express from Auckland to Ohakune again this Queen's Birthday weekend. New this year for the carnival weekend is the New Serisations Moutain Bike Classic, a 35 kilometre mountain bike race with $1000 in prize money offered. Race organisers expect to attract New Zealand 's top riders in this new sport of racing all-ter-rain, 1 8 geared, fat wheeled, light weight and strong bicycles. The course is yet to be finalised but will probably start at the Ohakune Junction, gouptothenine kilometre mark on the Ohakune Mountain Road and back, out to the Hapuwhenua Viaduct and back and then to Rangataua and back. Steam train Once again there is a rail link with the carnival, this year with the visit of KA 945 , a ste am train that spent most of her working life in the Taumarunui-Ohakune

area. To celebrate her 50th birthday Steam Incorporated are arranging a journey for KA 945 from Wellington bringing passengers to Ohakune to enjoy a steam train ride up through the central North Island and to take part in the carnival and the Waimarino 's numerous adventure activities. Other carnival visitors will be welcome to join the train for her trip from Ohakune to Taumarunui, taking in the Raurimu Spiral and numerous photo stops, to take place on Sunday June4. Ari altemative is to follow the train as she makes her joumey to see her chugging through the Ruapehu area. Adventure pastimes available the rest of the weekend will include bungy jumping off the historic Hapuwhenua Viaduct, horse trekking, white water rafting, jet boating, four wheel drive treks, scenic helicopter and fixed wing flights and grass skiing. At night the local watering holes, restaurants and night clubs will be arranging special Queen's Birthday Weekend happenings. Community involvment Co-ordinator Allan Crossman sends amessage to all community groups in the district to tell them they are invited to take part in the carnival on Saturday June 3. It all starts at 12 noon on Saturday and runs to about six pm. Community groups and artists that are interested in taking part, either by using stall space or providing entertainment can contact Allan for more information on (0658) 58 535. Commercial groups, not just those from the Ruapehu district are also welcome to join in, says Allan. He says its going to be, like last year, an event to bring together the local community and its visitors, for a weekend full of fun.