The River Markets are cancelled this weekend due to the uncertainty and requirements under alert level 2. Photo / Lewis Gardner
The River Markets are cancelled this weekend due to the uncertainty and requirements under alert level 2. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Event organisers around the region have been forced to postpone or cancel their plans as Covid-19 alert level 2 restrictions kick in.
The weekly Whanganui River Markets has been cancelled for Saturday, March 6.
Market convener Annette Main said the cancellation has the best interests of the community in mind.
"We believe this is the right thing to do. We have been very busy over the last few weekends, with many more visitors to the markets from out of town than were around when we were previously in level 2.
"When we reopened previously following the lockdown, there were lower numbers of stalls and customers, and the majority of those customers were locals."
Markets are required to meet the safe distancing requirements as well as manage numbers and the large area it covers makes it very difficult to do this, she said.
Main, who is also the deputy chairwoman of the Whanganui District Health Board, said organisers have also noted that despite their ongoing publicity about the importance of signing in and the display of QR codes at all entrances, many people have been walking right by them and even ignoring requests from staff to scan or sign in.
"We have been disappointed to see some people not understanding the risk this poses to others. Hopefully, this latest change to the levels will reinforce the need for everyone to play their part in keeping our community safe."
Main said the decision to close the market wasn't taken lightly as they know important it is to a number of small businesses.
"These events take considerable planning and we feel for those one-off events who also need to change their plans. We hope that the decision we have made means our community will be kept as safe as possible."
The Patea RSA committee has had to make the difficult decision to cancel its centennial event on Saturday, March 6, due to restrictions on numbers at gatherings.
They said the decision to cancel, rather than postpone, was also due to the uncertainty of Covid alert levels. There were other factors too - battle re-enactment members living in Auckland; availability of the guest speaker; road closures taking two months to process; and the availability of the domain, now that the rugby season is beginning.
"This is a huge disappointment to our committee and our town, but we feel we really had no other option. We thank all of those who have been a part of the organising."
The Patea RSA Centennial Book will still be for sale from this weekend. To order it, email jacq@dwyer.co.nz.
Taste Whanganui's Hops & Vines craft beer and wine festival scheduled for Saturday, March 6, has been postponed. The organisers are working to find a new date.
Due to Covid-19 level 2 restrictions the Dahlia Day Dahlia Garden Party planned for March 6 in Kowhai Park, Feilding, has also been cancelled.
The National Dahlia Society of New Zealand has established a new dahlia trial ground in Feilding to complement the existing South Island Trial Ground at Hinds, south of Ashburton. Society president Dennis Rodgers said the Dahlia Day event would have celebrated the new trial ground, with growers and horticultural society members from around the North Island planning to attend.
Rodgers said the event cannot be rescheduled this year because the dahlias will be past their best.
Confluence co-working space and cinema services are restricted under alert level 2 conditions to maintain a safe workplace for the current co-workers.
Confluence cinema will be temporarily closed and no new co-workers will be accepted.
The Waimarie paddlesteamer sailings will go ahead with restricted passenger numbers. MV Wairua will also continue scheduled cruises. Both vessels have QR scanning and hand sanitisers available on board.
