Wildfoods fees jump leaves charities counting the cost

Charities that run stalls at Hokitika's Wildfoods Festival say a big rise in fees casts doubt over their participation.

Every March thousands of visitors swell the small West Coast town for the party atmosphere and to sample the unusual and exotic food on offer.

For local charities it is a major opportunity to raise badly-needed cash.

But from next March, the costs of being involved will rise for the first time in nine years. The cost of public entry is also rising, from $30 to $35.

Festival co-ordinator Mike Keenan said costs of running the festival had been looked at closely, and overheads such as hire of the venue, marquees, portable toilets and security were creating large losses.

A 3m by 3m festival site that had been offered to stall-holders for $175 will now cost $300. Bigger stalls will cost up to $1000.

Four admission tickets that were given free to each person manning the stall will now cost $10 each.

Mr Keenan said the increases were a reality in the running of any festival.

Hokitika Lions trustee Anna Dyzel said her organisation would have to look at the costs of running its stall at the next event.

The worst possibility would be making a loss at the festival, but most likely it would mean a cut in profit.

"And then it's a matter of deciding whether that's significant enough for the amount of volunteer hours and the rest of it," Dr Dyzel said.

She said it would have been better to have smaller fee increases over time.

The Hokitika SPCA will have to consider how far the fee rise will eat into its annual profit from its stall. It usually makes about $1600 each year, "which buys a lot of cat food".

"I guess we just have to go and look at it and see what costs we will have to meet now," said manager Alicia Hall.