Rain no deterrent for Greerton Cherry Blossom Festival goers

A shot of the festival from the Cameron Rd end of Chadwick Rd. Photo/Andrew Warner

A spot of morning rain was little deterrent to the thousands of people who flooded into Greerton for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival today.

The top part of Chadwick Rd was closed to traffic and the just-installed signalised pedestrian crossing on Cameron Rd got a workout as people found their way into the annual festival, in its 11th year, on foot.

By midday, the showers had cleared and the place was humming - gleaming classic and custom cars lining the street, music filling the air and cherry trees in glorious pink and white bloom setting the Spring scene.

Some people sat to enjoy a meal or worked on the perfect cherry blossom selfie, others inspected the cars and checked out the Greerton Village School gala activities and entertainment.

Greerton is looking beautiful for the cherry blossom festival, on ‘til 2pm.

Posted by Bay of Plenty Times on Friday, 21 September 2018

Greerton Mainstreet manager Sally Benning said the early rain had just been a little "liquid sunshine" to wash off the dust left by the village's ongoing roadworks.

Contractors had worked hard at all hours over the past few days to ensure the work sites were cleaned up and the new traffic lights operational in time for the festival, she said.

She was pleased to see the cherry trees in full bloom, saying it had been touch-and-go with the festival a week earlier than usual.

"A week is a long time for cherry trees but they started blooming last week and seem to be at their peak today."

She said 23 local businesses had taken part in a festival-themed window dressing competition, with Three Little Whimzee the overall winner.

Greerton Village School deputy principal with students Princez Timoti, 11, and Kiara Whaanga, 11. Photo/Andrew Warner

Also happy to see the rain pass was Greerton Village School deputy principal Reuben Ginns.

He said the school gala, held in conjunction with the festival, was a major fundraiser for a planned new junior playground.

Ginns said the school reached its fundraising target then found out the build would be more expensive than expected.

They needed another $15,000 towards the final sum of $43,000.

Ginns said the busy gala would hopefully get them a big step closer to the goal.

"It's been outstanding, considering the weather. It didn't hold people back."

The school had teachers manning stalls and games, student performances and had rented market spaces for donations.

Greerton Lions were also there, with member Eugene van der Merwe saying it had been a "super day".