Ongaonga to host Victorian themed market

The Coles Factory has heritage status.

Preparations are under way for a Victorian themed market organised by the Ongaonga Historical Society as part of the Central Hawke's Bay Spring Fling.

The traditional market will encourage visitors to step back in time to enjoy traditional artisan craft demonstrations, vintage engines and vehicles, and delight in the Victorian costumes of society members.

Dick Schaper, one of the society members, has been working for several months to recreate traditional fairground games he remembers from his childhood. The public will be able to try these old-fashioned games on the grounds of the Ongaonga Museum.

Dick recalls seeing a raffle wheel in action in town as a charity fundraiser. In his mind the raffle wheel was the "chocolate wheel" because the prize was always a box of chocolates.

Dick will use the raffle wheel on the museum green to raffle a variety of prizes donated by the wider business community. The public will also be able to have a go at bottle cap poker, horse shoe throwing, quoits and a game based on a coconut shy

The market setting will give visitors the chance to see some of Central Hawke's Bay's finest examples of 19th century buildings, in particular the Coles Factory, which is the only remaining late 19th century factory of its type in New Zealand.

The Coles brothers were the local carpenters/joiners/ironmongers/plumbers/painters and undertakers at the time, and constructed many of the homes in Central Hawke's Bay. Their carpentry workshop used a steam engine driven belt system to operate the carpentry machines, which will be on display on market day.

While the Coles Factory has obtained heritage status, it is in need of major repairs and all funds raised from the market will go towards this. Society volunteers have undertaken some preliminary repair work to make the building accessible and the factory now gives a good impression of how it would have operated 100 years ago.

The museum buildings located at the museum reserve will also be open for the public. A range of food will be available, with more than 40 local market stalls, pony rides and face painting for the kids. Music will be provided by the Bandy McJazzband.

The community is joining in on the day with the Ongaonga Volunteer Fire Brigade having demonstrations and displays at the fire station as well as a sausage sizzle, and Ongaonga school students will be performing a maypole dance. For those looking for a potential wedding venue, St Oran's church will be available for inspection.

The Ongaonga Historical Society is grateful for the support from the local and wider community in organising this event, through donations, sponsorships and hands-on assistance. They are also grateful to CHB District Council staff who are undertaking some landscaping tasks to assist in showing off the village of Ongaonga.

The market will take place on Sunday, September 22, with formal opening at 10am.