Editorial: Art Deco - Good fun, good earner

Every year the February Art Deco events in Hawke's Bay get bigger and bigger.

It's not everyone's cup of tea and I've heard people slamming the Napier City Council for being one-eyed about it. They say things like "why waste ratepayers' money of Art Deco this and Art Deco that?"

I've never taken part in an event but I have strolled the streets of Napier enjoying the atmosphere and watching people have fun.

Now we have mid-winter Art Deco events and on Saturday I went for a ride in the 75-year-old standard railcar, which was in Hawke's Bay for the occasion.

It was fabulous. Some people dressed up, others went in their everyday attire. There were several trips on Saturday and Sunday ... all of them sold out.

I heard people talking when we got back to Napier about how it had brought back memories. Everyone was smiling.

After the ride we went to the Napier RSA for a drink. The place was humming. People were decked out in Art Deco gear, chatting and dancing to the fabulous music.

I bet on any other Saturday at 4.30 in the afternoon trade would not be so brisk.

Anything that draws tourists and locals into our business, shops, hotels and motels, has got to be good news for Hawke's Bay.

I say good on Napier City Council for promoting Art Deco. It draws people from all over the country as well as overseas.

I'm sure many people who come to Hawke's Bay for Art Deco soon find out that we have so much more to offer.

I'm also sure that these same people tell their family and friends what a fabulous place this is and that they return to enjoy our region.