Kerikeri's post-half-marathon street party will become an annual event after Saturday's festivities drew several thousand well-behaved revellers into town and swelled the coffers of recession-hit businesses.
Organised by a band of bed and breakfast owners, the street party was first held last year to persuade out-of-town runners to stay an extra night in the Bay of Islands instead of heading home straight after Saturday's prizegiving.
Co-organiser Anika Whapshott estimated the crowd topped 4000, well up on last year's 2500 and with many more locals joining in.
The number of stalls was boosted by ten after food ran out early last year, and a liquor licence was granted for the whole street - which was closed to traffic between Fairway Drive and Homestead Rd - rather than just roped-off areas.
Treghan Cottage owner Wendy Waldegrave said the night went ''fantastically well'' with a large crowd enjoying good music, food and wine.
''For a crowd that big they were really well-behaved, dancing and enjoying themselves, and they left hardly any mess.''
With this year's liquor licence applying to the whole street, the organisers had brought in fencing and extra security, but there was no trouble.
As word got out about the party people were staying two to three nights instead of one as in the past.
''From here on it'll definitely be an annual event,'' she said.
Geoff Tilley, of Lodge 88 in Waipapa, put the crowd at between 4000 and 4500.
Organisers had learnt from last year with more bands, better prepared food stalls, a beer stand for party-goers who weren't into wine, and a whole-street licence.
''Next year it'll be even bigger and better,'' he said.
Rocksalt owner Steve Selby said his bar was packed to its limit until 1am. He praised the organisers - the B&B owners, Kerikeri Events Committee and Blah Blah Marketing - for a ''brilliant job''.
Ms Whapshott said Kerikeri's next festival featuring food, wine and music was in February at the Domain.
Street party captures crowds and cash
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