Editorial: A great festival for families

Plans for a revamped New Year festival in Rotorua have hit the nail on the head.

We know how to put on a good bash in Rotorua. Just look at Raggamuffin and the Lakeside concerts. When it comes to big festivals, we've got it sussed.

The annual New Year's Eve Mardis Gras, or what has in recent years been called Rock The Lake, has been great. Year after year thousands pack the Lakefront and Village Green areas and enjoy a good show and superb fireworks display.

But there is huge potential.

Now the Rotorua District Council has recognised that and has kept experienced organiser Monty Morrison on board to launch a revamped three-day festival that will include a New Year's Eve fireworks display that will be the biggest and best in New Zealand.

The display aims to be so big you won't have to go out to see it, as it will be launched from further out on Lake Rotorua.

The new festival will run from December 30 to January 1 and has been designed with families in mind. The heart of the festival will be Tutanekai St.

It will include music, a range of arts and street theatre, night markets, food and fireworks.

Although there will still be a concert at The Village Green on New Year's Eve, it will start and finish earlier and will include an earlier ground-level fireworks and laser display for parents needing to get their kiddies to bed.

We have always had our work cut out in terms of attracting a massive crowd of domestic travellers during the New Year period.

We get visitors, but we should get more.

We compete with fad hot spots such as Mt Maunganui and Gisborne. But why compete? Those areas are known as "the place to go" for young ones. Do we really want to attract that kind of crowd? Ask the police, they'll tell you "no".

Rotorua's new three-day festival has the potential to be known as "the place to go" for families.

Mums, dads and kids celebrate the New Year too, and Rotorua's planned three-day festival has the potential to ensure all our motels, hotels and camp grounds are bursting with guests ready to have a good time and spend money at our local attractions, restaurants, cafes and shops.

What do you think?

Email editor@dailypost.co.nz, text DP then your message to 021 241 4568, or write to editor, PO Box 1442, Rotorua.