A family fun day is again on the cards this summer at Tauherenikau racecourse, with Wairarapa Racing Club being one of the clubs selected to host the Interislander Summer Festival.
The festival has gained in popularity in the past six years and this summer takes in 40 racedays from Ruakaka in the far north to Gore in the deep south.
Wairarapa Racing Club spokeswoman Ginni Thurston said the club was predicting a record crowd at the New Year meeting on January 2 as more and more families discovered the entertainment on offer at the festival events. The public response should also be helped by a decision to allow anyone aged under 18 on to the course free, with those over 18 being charged $15.
Kids Go Racing events are planned for under-12s with an equine theme, with classics such as pin-the-tail-on-the-horse and a horseshoe toss.
The children will also have an opportunity to meet Hopples and Stirrup, the Interislander Summer Festival horse mascots.
A further festival day will be held at Tauherenikau on February 6, Waitangi Day.
The first festival day will be at Wingatui racecourse on Boxing Day, hosted by the Otago Racing Club, and the last at Awapuni on February 9.
