Cancelled, postponed, gutted and hanging on: Hawke's Bay's summer events take a big hit

The Waitangi Day Family Celebration event hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu in February 2021, said to have attracted 15,000 people to the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park. Photo / Ian Cooper

Hawke's Bay events are being cancelled, postponed and gutted under the red traffic light setting, but some are finding ways to hang on.

Monday started with an announcement that the Ngāti Kahungunu Waitangi Day Family Celebrations planned for Saturday February 5 at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park have been cancelled.

A Facebook post explained that the 100-person limit under the red light setting made it impossible to hold an event that normally attracted 15,000 people.

Hawke's Bay Tourism said in a statement that 11 events from January 27 to February 6, part of the Hawke's Bay Food and Wine Classic, also won't be able to go ahead under the red traffic light setting.

These include Hawke's Bay Legends at The Old Church, Grand Long Lunch at a Secret Location, Hawke's Bay Wine Car Boot Party at Tomoana Showgrounds, The Name's Road at Church Road, Bubbly Club at Urban Winery and more.

People attending the Toasted event at the last Hawke's Bay Food and Wine Classic in 2019. Photo / NZME

All ticket holders for the cancelled FAWC events will have their tickets refunded.

Hawke's Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton said the news was disappointing, but safety was of the utmost importance.

He said Omicron was going to undoubtedly impact Hawke's Bay's visitor economy and the events industry.

"While red does still allow for domestic travel within Government framework guidelines, and for businesses to continue operating; our hospitality, events and tourism businesses are going to need support. The next few months will be challenging for many."

Warbirds convener Marty Hughes said Model Flying Hawkes Bay's annual model radio-controlled aircraft flying display on February 5 and 6, War Birds Over Awatoto, would be closed to the public and only pilots and support crew will attend.

Meanwhile, the organisers for the Triple Peaks Challenge on February 25 will be meeting tomorrow to decide how the event will run under the red.

Organiser Steve Nicholls said the original plan was to call off the event if the red traffic light setting was in place.

"We'd like to do something, but what that looks like is uncertain. We'd like to make a decision as soon as possible. We want some sort of surety for everyone."

The unofficial Art Deco Weekend event last year still drew crowds of people dressed in their finest on Napier's Marine Parade. Photo / Ian Cooper

The Art Deco Festival has had a set schedule of events that will still be able to go ahead under the red traffic light setting since December.

Festival Director Greg Howie, from the Art Deco Trust, said the team organising is speaking with festival partners, including ticketing agencies and ticket buyers, to reconfirm the ones that said they can go ahead under the red traffic light setting still can.

He said this meant there may be about half a dozen changes to the existing list of events under the red traffic light.

Howie is also organising The Enchanted Ball, which cannot go ahead under the red light setting and faces its seventh postponement in the past two years.

"We've just got to bide our time with it, I think. We're not alone, there are many other small events in the industry that have had to make difficult decisions."

A spokesperson for the East Coast Farming Expo was able to confirm that their event will still be able to go ahead.

The event is planned to be held at the Wairoa A&P Showgrounds from February 23 to 24.

Event manager Sue Wilson said they were well prepared to cope.

Extra staff will help manage the event, and six separate zones will have a limit of up to 100 people.

Exhibitors and keynote speakers at the expo will include Sir Ian Taylor, serial entrepreneur Logan Williams and para-triathlete Shaz Dagg, alongside seminars on stock handling tools, dog training, animal health and more.