Ohakune Carrot Carnival celebrating 40th giant vegetable birthday

Ohakune Carrot Carnival co-ordinator Emma Benefield with some young vege lovers at the 2023 event. Photo / Ohakune Events

Ohakune is set to party like it’s 1984 as the town’s giant carrot is about to turn 40.

The landmark sculpture on Rangataua Rd was donated to the town after featuring in an ANZ Bank advertisement.

The anniversary will be celebrated with a 1980s theme at the 2024 Fresh Direct Ohakune Carrot Carnival on Saturday, June 1.

“We will celebrate Ohakune’s iconic giant carrot as it turns 40,” carnival co-ordinator Emma Benefield said.

“We will be dressing up like it’s 1984 and there will be entertainment from Circus in a Flash and American folk duo Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields alongside local talents, amusement rides and inflatables to bounce on.”

Benefield said there would be “heaps of competitions” and vendors had already booked all the stall spaces for the popular event.

“We have a large range of stalls, including carrot-themed merchandise, and a sensational food court with a vast array of different flavours to offer.

“Competitions include the infamous Carrot Cake competition, the Kids Carrot Creation and the annual Growers versus Locals Games.”

The Carrot Carnival has grown into one of the biggest events on the Ohakune calendar. Photo / Ohakune Events

Benefield, who has been co-ordinating the carnival since 2020, said she was delighted to see how the event had grown in popularity in recent years.

“The first couple of years were disrupted by Covid restrictions but it’s come back very strong and we had over 3000 people attend last year.

“I want to thank Fresh Direct and all our local sponsors for their continued support. ANZ is also lending its support this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary.”

The Carrot Carnival celebrates the local growers who produce impressively large crops of quality carrots as well as other vegetables that thrive in the rich volcanic soil.

Motts Premium Produce, Snow Country Gardens (Rollinson family), Frew Family Partnership, Snokist (Deadman family), Kim Young and Sons, Wilcox, and Highline Produce (Greenwood family) produce not only carrots but also many of New Zealand’s best potato, broccoli, beetroot, parsnip, brussels sprouts and cauliflower crops.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Ohakune Carrot Park development which began in 2014.

Inspired by the iconic carrot sculpture and driven by volunteer labour, donations and sponsorship, the park features other vegetable sculptures.

It opened in 2016 and now includes undercover exercise machines, swings, slides, climbing ropes, hopscotch and a flying fox, as well as walking and cycle tracks.

The Ohakune Carrot Carnival will be held at Thames St, Ohakune, on Saturday, June 1, from 10am until 3pm.

Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.