Tutukaka Coast Winter Festival organisers Kate Malcolm (left), Nick Keene and Mel Miller.
Tutukaka Coast Winter Festival organisers Kate Malcolm (left), Nick Keene and Mel Miller.
An initiative to keep economic activity ticking along during the slower months of the year is showing signs of success.
This year's Tutukaka Coast Winter Festival has increased turnover in local businesses, helped retain key staff, encouraged repeat visits during summer and brought the local coastal community closer together, saysone of the festival's organisers, Kate Malcolm.
"It has enabled cash flow to remain more consistent and employed more local people," she said.
"It also has achieved a major connection between the local community. Many turning up to the events already live here, and that has allowed the community to re-engage, and to develop stronger unity and relationships.
"It is a quadruple bottom line effect - it is not just about the money, it is about the people, our culture and the place as well."
The Winter Festival, with this year's event being the fourth, held 13 events over three weekends during August and early September.
Organisers are still crunching numbers, but so far anecdotally the majority of visitors were from Whangarei, although events attracted different entrants, Kate said.
For example half the Poor Knights Crossing field was international. Several teams in the Dragon Boat Regatta were from Auckland and Bay of Plenty.
The two comedy nights attracted Whangarei show goers, as well as local Tutukaka residents.
The Raft Race had fewer entries this year but this event was more about the spectator enjoyment, Kate said.
"We had over 1500 people lining the Ngunguru Rd alongside the river to watch the hijinx on the water - more than last year."
The grand finale, the Tutukaka Winter Boutique Beer Festival, had a tent almost at capacity with 1000 people and 15 local brewers.
"It was an epic night, and a mix of Whangarei and Tutukaka participants, although there most certainly were Aucklanders who travelled up to hear Nathan Haines," she said.
All this added up to a strong increase in accommodation and bed nights, increased take in the hospitality sector and in visits for August. It also helped to retain staff who couldn't stay year round in the area without a steady income.
Waka ama fans Simon and Linda Woods, from Canterbury, and Deick Bezuidenhout (right).
The idea for the Tutukaka Coast Winter Festival started when three friends - Mel Miller, an events specialist who owns Scenario Events, Schnappa Rock Bar & Restaurant owner Nick Keene and Kate Malcolm, who runs Dive! Tutukaka - decided something needed to happen in the slow month of August on the Tutukaka Coast.
Nick and Kate are on the executive of the Tutukaka Coast Promotions Society, which has a mandate to promote tourism and sustainable business development along the Tutukaka Coast.
"It seemed like a perfect fit," Kate said.
"All the statistics and evidence indicated an event would be a catalyst for business growth and increased visitor experience and visitation, and made a huge difference to small seasonal tourism communities."
They took a leap of faith and ran the first Winter Festival in August of 2013.
"There's an amazing group of passionate locals on the Coast who support the TCP [Tutukaka Coast Promotions Society] with their events and projects, and they make the festival what it is," said Kate.
"Many sponsors are locally connected, and avid supporters. It really is a strong coastal group effort.
"Good energy, good people, good place, great things," she said.
Will it be held again next year? Absolutely, says Kate. "With a couple of new events to be added. Watch this space."
