1200 enjoy fun in the sun at Katikati food festival

Alan Hay, Karen Lee and Brian Grimwood at the Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival on Saturday afternoon. Photo/Andrew Warner

Strong winds did not stop the festivities at the Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival over the weekend.

Festival organising committee chairwoman Karen Lee said they were relieved the wind had died down for Saturday's event.

"We couldn't set up much the day before, it would have been too dangerous, but it was a beautiful day. Everybody had a great time," she said.

It was the 11th time the annual event had taken place and Mrs Lee estimated more than 1200 people attended this year.

"Everybody was just sitting back, relaxing in the sun, with a wine and some good food, and that is what it's all about."

She said the day celebrated New Zealand wines and some stallholders had come from as far afield as the South Island.

Mrs Lee said they were able to sell more than 5000 raffle tickets and the proceeds would go to Waipuna Hospice this year.

Katikati Heritage Museum would also benefit from any profits made on the day from the festival. Mrs Lee said it was the first year she had organised the event and she had "some very big shoes to fill" but was happy with how things had played out on the day.

Pakeke Lions president David Crispin proposed his club undertake the annual festival as a means of raising funds for local charities and his club.

Last year's event raised $8700 and Mrs Lee estimated this year would bring in more.

The first festival was held at the Uretara Domain in January 2004, organised initially by the Pakeke Lions Club, and the event has been used to raise over $100,000 for the Lions Cancer Lodge, the fire brigade, Katikati Plunket, St John and the Night Owls.