As the rain set in last Friday, Central Hawke’s Bay residents were asking one another: “Will the Matariki celebration still be on?”
The resounding answer was yes – Matariki would be celebrated at Russell Park, rain or not.
As it happened, it was more “rain” than “not”, but there were plenty of stars to be seen at the park; from the performers who braved the damp to the volunteers, stallholders and food trucks that sustained the rainy-night audience.
![Warm and dry – nothing was keeping these two from enjoying Matariki. Photo / Rachel Wise](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/ZNXTFUT3PBCCNLYPBKUI64K4ZA.jpg?auth=4770e6779d3030813ec82e0f74ce96bcaa340ccb14489cf308a38267bf84dd4d&width=16&height=19&quality=70&smart=true)
There was a small crowd when the event kicked off at 5pm but as dinner time approached, the lure of the music and the food trucks drew in more people, rugged up well and holding umbrellas but keen to be entertained.