Ms Kemp said the festival team were excited and the venues were all organised.
The event on October 25 was like the “old school” wine and food, with complimentary buses and three venues, said Ms Kemp.
It was the fourth year the same trio of wineries — Matawhero Wines, Bridge Estate and TW Wines — had taken part.
Ms Kemp said although she could not be 100 percent sure it would still be Alert Level 1 until the week before the event, the fact the festival was being held only a week after the General Election made her feel most confident.
The organisers of the annual Poverty Bay A&P Show next month have also breathed a collective sigh of relief after the Government dropped the Covid-19 alert level.
It means all systems are well and truly go for the annual town and country get-together on October 16 and 17.
“The news yesterday sounded very positive and as long as we stay in Level 1 we are all go, which is awesome for the community,” said Show association general manager Erica McNeil.
“The community has been so supportive and everyone is clearly getting excited about the Show.”
There are 237 entries confirmed for the dog trials at the Show, 1828 entries in the home industries and 191 in the national dancing.
“Shearing entries close this Friday, with 27 received so far, with a lot entering on the day,” Mrs McNeil said.
Dairy goat entries have closed at 57. Equestrian entries close this Friday.
“All sections are slightly down on 2019, however, considering the year we have all experienced, its pretty amazing support from locals and out-of-towners.”
Gisborne Beer Festival organisers are also raising a glass today.
“Over the last month I had a lot of optimism that we'd get back to Level 1, well in advance for the festival season,” Boomshack Events director Ricky Boyd said.
“However, ticket sales slowed to a trickle in Level 2 and I'm glad we have a clear path forward now.
“All services and support can now be more solidly booked in, and as a whole, everyone can have some clarity.
“I think it may be a bit like this for the next few years so adapting to become more fluid in how we manage our festival is something we're learning quickly.”
The beer festival takes place on November 7 at the Royal (formerly Jolly Stockman).
It is also all go for the Kai Street Food Festival on Friday, October 2, at Reads Quay.
“We will have all additional safety measures in place and contact tracing on all gates and throughout the event,” City Centre Vibrancy manager Lana Davy said.
“We have written a Covid recipe for a safe kai experience which we will put into action at the festival.
“We are prepared and raring to go. Running a healthy, safe, fun event is our top priority.”
If New Zealand was in Alert Level 2, the food festival and the Show could not go ahead because of gatherings being capped at 100 people.
From midnight last night everywhere in the country except Auckland moved back to Level 1.
Auckland will move back to Level 2 from midnight tonight.
The Cabinet decision yesterday paves the way for unlimited gathering sizes across the country, bar Auckland.
