Editorial: City at its very best on great weekend

Long weekends are great - and you'd go a long way to find someone left unimpressed with how Wanganui's long weekend played out this year.

The challenge was laid down early - having the VCC Rally 2012 in town meant there was always going to be an extra air of excitement about this Wellington Anniversary holiday weekend.

Add in the locally organised events such as the Rivercity Caboodle and Monday's More FM Boardwalk Festival, and the city was on to a winner, provided two wildcards fell in our favour - people making the decision to get out and support the events, and Mother Nature also coming to the party.

Thankfully, the sun shone and locals as well as visiting rally enthusiasts took the chance to get out and about and make the most of it.

Wanganui should take a bow - not just the people who spent hours organising and preparing these and other events which were held over the weekend, but also the people who got out and supported them.

Events like these are nothing without community support, and the enduring legacy from this weekend will be the knowledge that Wanganui can be a top-level events destination and can easily play host to a raft of events that provide something for everyone.

This can only be viewed in a positive light, not only for those of us who live here, but for those who aspire to organise and hold such events in the future.

While the VCC Rally is a special "one-off", there's nothing to say events like the Rivercity Caboodle and the boardwalk festival can't be repeated again next year, and for years to come after that.

How great it would be to see Wanganui become known as a "must-do" destination for Wellington Anniversary Weekend holidaymakers, secure in the knowledge that the city annually provided a wide range of events and entertainment.

The groundwork has been done - here's hoping our city's leaders, tourism bodies and event organisers are now able to take the next step, to ensure the events of the weekend just gone do not fade in the memory, but instead serve as motivation for many busy, event-filled Wellington Anniversary weekends to come.

The potential benefits are too great for this weekend to be a one-off.

Feedback: editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz