Support needed if Soundz Over the Lake festival to be a blast again

A crowd of 1200 turned up at Backpaddock Lakes in Takapau on November 4 for the inaugural Soundz Over the Lake festival. Photo/supplied

Organisers of Central Hawke's Bay's only Guy Fawkes fireworks display say they will need sponsors and more local support if the event is to become a permanent fixture.

A crowd of 1200 turned up at Backpaddock Lakes in Takapau on November 4 for the inaugural Soundz Over the Lake festival, which featured a host of live bands and culminated in a 10-minute fireworks display.

The festival received plenty of positive feedback on social media - including from CHB Mayor Alex Walker, who described it as a "fantastic night" - but it failed to cover costs, according to one of the organisers, Shelly Birdsall.

She said the event cost $37,000 to stage, leaving organisers $5000 out of pocket.

"With no financial backers we needed to pre-sell tickets to see if we could go ahead.

"With the venue being as unique as it is, we had to build staging, fence off waterways and hire loads of toilets.

"In excess of $20,000 was spent in CHB and we need local business to come on board with sponsorship or services to ensure this becomes an annual event."

Ms Birdsall said she and fellow organisers, Simon Osbourne from East Coast Fireworks and Tracey Te Meihana, put on the event because of community demand in CHB for a family-friendly fireworks display since the demise of the old Rhythm and Booms event that used to be held in Waipawa at Coronation Park.

Ms Birdsall said for the event to go ahead next year, she was approaching large companies outside CHB for sponsorship.

"I have set a deadline of March to decide if we can do the event again."

It would be a shame to lose the event, she said, because the crowd enjoyed themselves and it attracted many out of town visitors, including people from Levin and Hastings who sat in the VIP areas.

"It was great for CHB."

Organisers had to overcome several "hiccups" to stage the event.

Initially they planned to stage a low-key fireworks display at Waipukurau Racecourse, however nearby residents were unhappy at the idea and started a petition which forced the change of venue to Backpaddock Lakes.

But then the event caught the attention of organisers of the Rhythm and Vines music festival held in Gisborne every New Year's Eve.

"They sent us a stern letter advising us to change names. So after several hiccups we had a new name and venue," Ms Birdsall said.

If the event does return next year, Ms Birdsall hoped for improved communication and more streamlined processes dealing with CHB District council over resource consent and liquor licensing.