Next time take your appetite

Anyone who missed Saturday's third annual Awanui Day should make a point of keeping the date free next year - and take their appetite with them.

Stalls offering all manner of commodities, from soap and jewellery to political manifestos, knives and Geppetto's beautifully-made wooden (pohutukawa) toys, lined both sides of the street, while Kaiwaiata (which is still working on its first #1 hit but has been part of the day from the beginning) kept the music going.

And there was food. All sorts of food, from sizzled sausages to marinated chicken burgers, hangi and chop suey. It was not the place to be without an appetite, and there was no shortage of hungry patrons.

Bill Subritzky was a happy man by the time it was all over, not least because of the enthusiasm displayed by the entire community.

"We couldn't have wished for more community support," he said.

"The businesses got behind us, the residents' and ratepayers' association was flat out, and Lloyd Johnson served a great meal on Friday night. We're very grateful to the school for opening for the old pupils too, in conjunction with Kaye Dragicevich's Riverside Museum. That was a hit. It's all about memories."

Some 280 motorcyclists from all over the country, and including a regular contingent from Wellington, added some grunt to the festivities, although some chose not to repeat the TTT (To the Top) run to Cape Reinga.

"They left in groups this year; a mass start is spectacular but groups are better," Bill said.

"And there were no problems. The cops did a good job too. It was all good."

Everyone had stayed vertical (although one rider was involved in an accident at Mangonui on the way north and ended up in Whangarei Hospital).

Northland Riders Inc was one of the cheapest clubs around, he added, and for a lot of motorcyclists this was their big event for the year.

Traffic in Awanui's congested main street wasn't a problem either, whether motorists were passing through, slowed for a "gawk" or pulled over to get involved.

It was all very promising for Awanui Day's future, Bill said.

More lessons had been learned and the festival would continue to evolve, and to grow.

The winner of the Awanui passport prize was Nik Laver.