“Our event co-ordinator is a professional and offers professional services.
“Presently, goodwill in this area is being overstretched and provides major risk in the short term and long term.”
Vintage Weekend was a free event, “it’s Whanganui’s party”, and would be hard to replicate anywhere else, he said.
That was because of the generosity, funding and spirit of the local community.
“Volunteers show up every year. They are now highly experienced and skilled, and they are the single biggest reason for Vintage Weekend’s success.”
The trust’s submission to the annual plan said the event contributed more than $5 million directly to the local economy each year.
“We feel that when compared to some other events funded by the [council], the funding [$27,500] appears out of whack in terms of returns for dollars spent,” it said.
“Vintage Weekend has not had an increase in funding since its inception in 2013, and last year actually suffered a decrease in its funding.”
The council provided $30,000 in 2024.
More than 50 events were held during the 2026 weekend, including the Mainstreet Caboodle, Plumber Dan Soapbox Derby and Wanganui Aero Club open day.
Past support came from the council’s contestable event funding initiative, with Property Brokers Whanganui the major sponsor.
Vintage Weekend trustee Rory Smith told the Chronicle the event had proved itself enough to have secure annual funding from the council.
He said running the entire festival cost up to $95,000.
“We’ve been going for over 10 years and we go bigger every year.
“There are other events that fit into that [secure funding], like the Cemetery Circuit and Carla Donson’s festival [La Fiesta women’s festival].
“They aren’t going anywhere and they are all organic. They are the ones that work, because they start from nothing and build up with a solid foundation.”
Smith said Vintage Weekend’s musicians performed “on the smell of an oily rag”.
“You could easily call them volunteers as well.”
He said $60,000 from the council would allow operational talent to be nurtured and retained.
“That’s not just one individual, it’s the sound man, it’s everyone needed to put on a professional show.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.
