Bustling crowd admires creativity at Rotorua's Art in the Park

The Government Gardens bustled as people stopped to admire creative art and crafts which took their fancy.

The annual Art in the Park was held today with 60 stalls showcasing painting and pottery to jewellery making, mosaics, and garden art. The event also included a line-up of local musicians.

The Arts Village manager Mary-Beth Acres said the event was amazing.

"People keep coming all day. The stall holders have been saying they are selling quite well."

She said the music had been phenomenal, with a lot of great feedback which was awesome because they were all local acts.

Many children had been enjoying creating crafty fans with Lani Eyles, and there had been an awesome team of volunteers from the community, Acres said.

Leora Ansell from Opotiki had a stall of handmade crafts.

"It's a really nice event. It's a really enjoyable day meeting lots of people."

Her popular items included fork hangings, steam punk jewellery, and she had sold a few different fish.

The Rotorua Mad Poets Society was also one of the stall holders.

Member Jackie Evans said the society had been going to Art in the Park for about 15 years.

It had published 12 books over the years and was selling them at the stall, as well as giving away free poetry postcards.

Member Lyndsay Campbell was at the stall doing pop-up poetry, where she would write a poem about a topic - such as a person's cat, dog or partner - for those who asked.

"It's a nice little personal thing to do."

Canada's Charles and Ruth Ansell enjoyed the variety of crafts and music.

"It's a beautiful setting in the gardens, which complements the art. We have thoroughly enjoyed it."

Rotorua's Julene Martin and Pauline Roberts said Sunday was a great, relaxing day to hold the event.