Hawke's Bay event postponements, cancellations: Will it include the Farmers Market?

Hawke's Bay Farmers Market, amongst others events, are in doubt amid coronavirus gathering ban. Photo / Paul Taylor

Dozens of event cancellations across Hawke's Bay could include the region's famous weekly farmers market, as it goes into coronavirus crisis talks.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday announced that gatherings of 500 or more people in New Zealand - held outdoors or indoors - will no longer go ahead.

Ardern said the Government's decision was to protect the health and economic well-being of the public.

"This applies to non-essential events such as festivals, fairs, sporting, religious and cultural events," the Prime Minister said.

The Hastings-based Sunday Farmers Market hosts more than 4500 people each weekend at Showgrounds Hawke's Bay Tomoana at this time of year.

This is across four open hours, according to organisers.

The famous Hawke's Bay Farmers Market is set to hold crisis talks amid coronavirus gathering ban. Photo / Ian Cooper

Market manager Emma Glover said the committee is due to meet on Wednesday evening to discuss their options.

"We are working through the processes at this stage," she said. "I am trying to co-ordinate whether to bring that meeting forwards.

"We need to work out that if we are going to go ahead, then how we restrict the number of people."

"It'll be a case of how we go ahead in terms of potentially restricting the number of people at any one time. Perhaps restrict it to 450 or something."

The New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty Hawke's Bay International Marathon will also no longer take place as planned. Photo / File

The New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty Hawke's Bay International Marathon will also not take place as planned on May 16.

A spokesman said they are "working diligently to secure venues and a new race date".

Hastings District Council announced on Tuesday that events including Osthmanthus Garden Lantern Festival and The Big Easy and Little Easy Central Hawke's Bay will also be cancelled.

HDC chief executive Nigel Bickle said while council facilities such as the library, art gallery, pools, sports and community centres remain open, the public should stay at home if unwell.

"We are reviewing all events booked in our facilities to ensure they are within the public gathering limit of 500 people, and will continue to update our event management and facility operations to adhere to directives from central government," he said.

"We have pandemic response plans and business continuity plans ready to activate if required, to ensure essential services such as refuse collections, water and sewerage continue to be provided in the event of an outbreak."

Napier City Council announced the cancellation of two events at the Napier Municipal Theatre due to coronavirus concerns. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier City Council announced with "great sadness" the cancellation of two events at the Napier Municipal Theatre due to concerns regarding coronavirus.

The Victorian State Ballet of Beauty and the Beast on Wednesday March 18 and the Soweto Gospel Choir show, which formed part of their Freedom NZ Tour, on Tuesday March 24 have both been scrapped.

The council said further changes, updates, and cancellations are possible.

A HDC spokeswoman said Toitoi – Hawke's Bay Arts and Events Centre will remain open, but is assessing shows and events on a "case by case basis."

The Red Leap Theatre announced the cancellation of their Owls Do Cry North Island tour, which included a performance at Toitoi.

The Total Evolution of the Motorcycle Show, which was due to start on Saturday, April 11, has been postponed until Easter 2021, while the annual Hawke's Bay Sport Awards has also been postponed.

Sport Hawke's Bay chief executive Mark Aspden said although it's disappointing to postpone the Forsyth Barr gala awards celebration which was set for Saturday, May 23, it was sensible to make the call early, prior to tickets going on sale.

Hawke's Bay Jazz Club announced the cancellation of their meet on Sunday, March 29, while Hōhepa Hawke's Bay's Fundraiser Gala Dinner and inaugural Seafood Festival at Takitimu Seafoods have also been cancelled.

This event was scheduled for April 4 to celebrate the company's first birthday and showcase the fantastic seafood New Zealand has to offer.

Organisers of the Maraekakaho Country Market Day said they were devastated to announce it had been cancelled. It would still allow online orders of lamb to help fundraise for the school.

Napier Port's cruise ship season has also come to an early end, with seven ships still due to dock.

With 76 cruise ships, holding 129,000 cruise passengers and 55,000 crew, arriving since October 2019, Napier Port chief executive Todd Dawson said the season had still been a strong one.

"Tourism operators and service businesses who rely on cruise visitors will feel the impact on their businesses from the recent government announcements and we know that this will be tough for them," he said.

"However, we are also confident that Hawke's Bay remains a popular cruise destination and despite the cancellations this season we still had eight more cruise visits than last year and 21 more than the year before, with a strong outlook for 2020/21 season."

The next cruise ships are due to dock in October 2020.