Modern Māori Quartet play at Majestic Square on Sunday. Photo / Tania Whyte
A busy Labour weekend is in store for Whanganui, with a wide range of events and many local businesses looking forward to an influx of visitors to the city.
Across the three days, events ranging from heritage parades to concerts and sporting anniversaries will take centre stage.
Lost Arts Events has the first two events of its Summer in the Square series of three mini-festivals at Majestic Square, starting with an R18 event made up of drum and bass, house and techno artists from 7pm on Saturday.
There will be a family-friendly event from 1.30pm until around 8pm on Sunday with a roots and reggae lineup.
As part of Whanganui Heritage Month, more than 40 vehicles, ranging from a 1982 Jaguar to vintage fire trucks and military vehicles to a 1904 horse and carriage, will take part in a parade, starting at 1pm on Saturday in Victoria Ave and ending at the Royal Whanganui Opera House.
Vintage vehicles will park up at Wanganui Racecourse on Sunday from 10.30am to 4pm, in an event that will also feature live music, food trucks and activities like dodgem cars.
In another Heritage Month event, Jubilee Stadium will host a heritage and antique collectibles fair from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Sunday.
The 50th anniversary of the Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway will be celebrated with a two-day event at the track.
On Saturday there will be a club race meeting where admission is by gold coin, with all proceeds being donated to the Whanganui Cancer Society, while on Sunday, the first points meeting of the season is scheduled.
Racing will start at 3pm on both days, with a fireworks display happening at the end of the Sunday meeting.
Pirates Rugby Football & Sports Club will celebrate their 125th anniversary, as well as the 50th anniversary of the netball entity of the club. Festivities started yesterday and will finish with a celebration dinner at Wanganui Racecourse on Sunday.
The 2022 Senior Rock 'n' Roll National Championships, hosted by the Whanganui River Rockers, take place from today until Sunday at Springvale Stadium.
School reunions this weekend include the Westside Boomer Reunion at the Gonville Town Hall, featuring former pupils from Gonville, Carlton, Tawhero, Castlecliff, St Anthony's and Marist schools, and Whangaehu School's 150th anniversary reunion.
With all these events taking place, accommodation providers are preparing for a full weekend.
Whanganui River Top 10 Holiday Park owner Jeannie Kay said the facility was fully booked for the weekend.
She said a couple of rowing groups were coming as the park had a boat ramp so rowers tended to stay with them over long weekends.
Aside from that, she said a lot of people were coming to the park to enjoy the long weekend.
"We tend to book out for Labour weekend, it tends to be one of our busiest weekends," she said.
Riverview Motel owner Mark Lithgow said they were booked out as well for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
He said people were coming to town for the rock 'n' roll championships and the speedway celebrations.
"Whanganui is ticking over pretty well I think, accommodation-wise," he said.
Along with hotels, local restaurants were anticipating a busy weekend.
Stellar Restaurant and Bar duty manager Tabatha Holm said the bar had its own musical event happening tonight, headlined by American rapper Fatman Scoop, as well as being booked out for Saturday.
The Citadel cafe owner-operator Malcolm Whitlock said Labour weekend was an unknown quantity for the restaurant, but signs in the market pointed to it being a busy time for them.
He said the number of events in town meant more people should be out and about than usual.
"It bodes well, the sun's shining, and hopefully we can get a few people down to the beach," he said.
Weather-wise, the weekend was looking to be mostly fine, MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said.
Saturday and Sunday were looking especially fine, with a high-pressure system setting up shop over the country, leading to highs of 18C on Saturday and 20C on Sunday.
Monday would also reach a high of 20C, but it was likely to be a little cloudier as a band of rain would be moving up the country.
However, Hines said the rain would likely stay over the South Island.
Police said road users could expect an increased presence on major highways over the weekend in an effort to deter unsafe driver behaviour.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advised people to plan ahead for long weekend road trips, and to use its journey planner tool to scout ahead and avoid traffic delays.
Regional manager maintenance and operations Jaclyn Hankin said motorists could expect delays on State Highway 3 at Whanganui for eastbound traffic for Friday afternoon and early evening, with delays expected again east and westbound from mid-morning on Monday.
Delays were also expected on SH1 between Taihape and Waiouru for northbound traffic today between 11am and 3pm, and southbound on Monday from 11am to 4pm.
She advised people to take their time while travelling.
"Allow plenty of time. You're on holiday, there's no need to rush."