Thousands turned out to watch would-be Birdmen and Birdwomen leap, fly or just plummet from the end of Russell wharf during the town’s Birdman Festival on Saturday.
Northland's biggest and most eccentric mid-winter event is almost certain to survive following the success of the weekend's Birdman Festival.
The event was founded 12 years ago to bring some life to Russell's sleepy winter months, and centred around a contest in which teams vied to leap the greatest distance— or in the most entertaining manner — from the town wharf.
It grew into a three-day festival pulling as many as 5000 people, but six weeks ago its future looked bleak due to a combination of lost funding and volunteer fatigue.
One of the two remaining organisers, Pania Sigley, called a last-ditch public meeting in May which led to an injection of fresh volunteers and ideas.
Sigley said she was ''ecstatic'' about the success of the resuscitated festival and put the crowd size at between 3500 and 4000.
''It was beyond expectations. I thought we'd left it too late. We only started marketing six weeks ago,'' she said.
Russell Fire Brigade's Braden Davies soars from the end of the wharf in a pedal-powered flying machine. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Event MC Gary Hooson — another of the festival's founders — said feedback from the crowd, the Russell community and the new volunteers came him confidence Birdman would be back next year.
''From nearly falling over to seeing the community come together like this is really heart warming,'' he said.
Part of the success came from paring the festival back to a shorter, more family-friendly format with simple but popular attractions such as street games. Saturday's weather had also helped bring in the crowds, Hooson said.
More than 60 people had put their hands up to help — more than ever before — and the new volunteers had brought fresh ideas.
New events included a beach bonfire on Friday evening followed by a night walk to Maiki Hill during which more than 60 kids saw glow worms and heard kiwi calling.
This year's Supreme Birdman trophy went to first-time entrants Total Marine of Opua with jumper Jess Magon aided by props man Andrew Johnson and her aircraft engineer Tim Yeates.
Magon, who flew, or plummeted, from the wharf in a feathered costume and a glider made of green fabric with floral propellers, said she was ''absolutely stoked'' and would definitely take part again next year.
''I wasn't expecting to win. It was a real team effort,'' she said.
This year's judging panel included Team New Zealand sailor and Olympic gold medallist Blair Tuke.
The festival had previously received funding from a gaming trust but that ended with the demise of Russell's pokie machines. A raffle of items donated by local businesses raised $10,000 instead.
Results Cleverest craft: The Tank, Maryanne Hooson and Pania Sigley, Russell. Fibre and feathers: The Penguins, Hellhole Cafe crew, Russell/Christchurch. Best team/best stage show: Family Shark, Okiato/Auckland. Crowd favourite: Russell Bowling Club, Grace Maioha, Teina Reid and Sophia Hornell, Russell. Supreme Birdman: Total Green Bird, Jess Magon of Total Marine, Opua.
