Latest news with #AlexandraBlossomFestival
Otago Daily Times
17-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Decision looms on festival licence
A decision on the Alexandra Blossom Festival special liquor licence will be made in the next 10 days after a hearing in Alexandra last week. Last month the Central Otago licensing committee declined the Alexandra Blossom Festival a special liquor licence. District licensing committee members John Mann (chairman), Lyal Cocks and Russell Anderson heard submissions from the blossom festival, New Zealand Police, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora and Jamie Hughes, who had been engaged by the festival to manage compliance with its licence in past years. There were no objections to the licence being granted from the police, the Ministry of Health or the Central Otago District Council's licensing inspector. The question debated was whether an "umbrella" licence held by the blossom festival committee was preferable to each alcohol vendor having its own. The committee questioned whether the umbrella licence actually met the requirements of the law. Mr McPherson said last year he was told by council staff an umbrella licence would not be issued so each vendor had to get their own. The Clyde Wine and Food Festival operates with individual licences. Health New Zealand compliance office Alannah Smyth said she attended the festival as part of her role. The problem she found was people buying alcohol from a vendor in the generic festival glass and then walking around. If someone was found intoxicated there was no way of knowing who had sold them alcohol. When the blossom festival held an overarching licence it was easy to have any issues addressed, she said, Mr Hughes said the festival was a cruisy day for him. He brought three staff with him, which was more than he would usually have for an event that size. His staff would liaise with each vendor's duty manager and make sure customers stayed in the designated area. Mr McPherson reiterated the festival was not about alcohol and had always been designed around a family day out. People came into the park, got lunch and a beer or wine and sat at the tables to watch the entertainment. Alcohol was secondary to the crowning of the festival prince or princess, the floats and the entertainers. A suggestion from Mr Mann that each vendor have a picket fence around their spot to contain their customers was not welcomed by Mr McPherson. "If individual people have to stay like penned sheep until they have finished that drink it will completely change the atmosphere." Mr Mann said he appreciated the time constraints and would have a decision in 10-15 days.
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Festival declined licence, hearing set
The Alexandra Blossom Festival in 2024. PHOTO: ODT FILES A hearing will be held next month after the Central Otago licensing committee declined a special license for the Alexandra Blossom Festival. Festival event manager Martin McPherson said he could not comment on why the application was refused as he would have to give evidence at the public hearing on July 11. However, he was confident blossom festival goers would not notice any difference to what was on offer regardless of the hearing's outcome. The debate was around who would hold a liquor license, the festival or vendors, he said. "It's just one of those things. It won't affect the blossom festival. We will still have licensed premises onsite." The public hearing will be at the Central Otago District Council chambers, in Alexandra, on July 11 at 10am. In May, the council extended the festival liquor ban to include the Teviot Valley after a presentation by police. The disorder caused by "car enthusiasts" heading to Alexandra was the reason for the extension. It was not related to behaviour at the the blossom festival site in the town.
Otago Daily Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Blossom Festival liquor licence declined
The Central Otago licensing committee has declined the Alexandra Blossom Festival a special liquor license and set down a hearing for July 11. Festival event manager Martin McPherson said the move is to help the licensing committee decide who should hold the liquor license — the festival trust committee or the vendors— not to ban alcohol at the festival. Mr McPherson could not comment on why the application was refused as he would have to give evidence at the public hearing. He was confident festival-goers would notice no difference regardless of the outcome. "It's just one of those things. It won't affect the blossom festival. We will still have licenced premises on-site." The public hearing will be at the Central Otago District Council chambers, in Alexandra, at 10am. In May, the council extended the festival liquor ban to include the Teviot Valley. The disorder caused by "car enthusiasts" heading to Alexandra was the reason for the extension, not behaviour at the festival site.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Licence declined
The Central Otago licensing committee has declined the Alexandra Blossom Festival a special liquor license and set down a hearing for July 11. Festival event manager Martin McPherson said the move is to help the licensing committee decide who should hold the liquor license — the festival trust committee or the vendors— not to ban alcohol at the festival. Mr McPherson could not comment on why the application was refused as he would have to give evidence at the public hearing. He was confident festival-goers would notice no difference regardless of the outcome. "It's just one of those things. It won't affect the blossom festival. We will still have licenced premises on-site." The public hearing will be at the Central Otago District Council chambers, in Alexandra, at 10am. In May, the council extended the festival liquor ban to include the Teviot Valley. The disorder caused by "car enthusiasts" heading to Alexandra was the reason for the extension, not behaviour at the festival site.
Otago Daily Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Hopes for more festival floats
A crowd at Pioneer Park for the 2024 Alexandra Blossom Festival. PHOTO: ODT FILES The countdown to one of New Zealand's most well-known spring festivals is under way as float entries have opened for the 2025 Alexandra Blossom Festival. Festival event manager Martin McPherson said the 68-year-old event, originally set up as a fundraiser for the old Alexandra Pool, was the longest-running event of its kind in New Zealand. "Now it's a great celebration of who we are, and spring, and an excuse for people to get out and have fun." The festival would run with the same formula as previous years, "a bit like grandma's carrot cake", he said. "You might tweak the lemon juice and the icing but you don't change the recipe." One of the "tweaks" is the invitation to different cultural groups such as the Fijian and Southeast Asian communities to participate. Mr McPherson hoped to grown on what the festival had done in the past and more multicultural inclusion would better reflect the community. Last year there were nine competitive floats and 45 items in the procession which included vintage cars and marching bands. This year, it was hoped there would be even more floats, he said. The Alexandra Blossom Festival committee would give $750 to clubs, schools and kindergartens who enter a float. Private businesses and others would be able to choose a charity for the committee to give to on their behalf. This was on top of the the support already in place which included $500 towards materials to build a float and free crepe paper supplied from Alexandra New World. "We've seen some incredible designs over the years and can't wait to see what people create this year," Mr McPherson said. Float entries close on Friday, August 8. Entry forms are available on the blossom festival website at
