Waitotara is celebrating.
On Saturday, December 11, the township will hold a fun afternoon and night-time party.
The festival's purpose was four-fold, one of the organisers, Dave Welch, said.
It celebrated the opening of the refurbished Waitotara Town Hall, celebrated people being able to return to their homes, welcomed new residents and farewelled those who had moved elsewhere.
The celebrations kick off with a 1pm barbecue to raise funds for four new table tennis tables at the hall.
From 2-4.30pm, fun activities were planned, such as a bouncy castle, tug of war, kids' karaoke, gumboot throwing and spade and mud races.
"There will be a few silt-related activities," Mr Welch said.
At 4.30pm the Waverley Lions Club will provide a free hangi, then at 8pm the party at the hall starts with music by Splash Out. Party entry costs $5, and proceeds go to Waitotara School.
Restoration of the hall, built in 1890, began before the February flood, and the inside is now fully refurbished.
It had been relined, a new floor laid, disabled toilets added and kitchen upgraded, Mr Welch said.
"Inside, it's as good as any hall in the district around here."
Table tennis and indoor bowls would now be more enjoyable because the hall floor no longer had a 5cm drop from the centre to wall.
New residents had bought flood-damaged houses and were doing them up, and some were living away from the township while repairing their houses before they moved back.
Whanganui Chronicle
