Winter Forest Festival pushed out to Labour Weekend

Last year 96 per cent of Winter Forest Festival participants travelled from outside of Rotorua. Photo / Supplied

Organisers of the Winter Forest Festival in Rotorua have postponed the event due to Covid-19.

The event will now take place on Labour weekend, October 24 to 25, alongside Emerson's Whaka100 Mountain Bike Marathon in Rotorua.

The weekend of events will be called the Rotorua Forest Festival.

We Run the Forest will take place on Saturday October 24, while those entered in the Winter Mountain Bike Classic or Gravel Royale will have an opportunity to take on a distance at the Whaka100 on Sunday October 25.

The weekend of events will be called the Rotorua Forest Festival. Photo / Supplied

We Run the Forest includes a 42km run, 21km, 12km and 7km run or walk while the Whaka100 offers 100km, 50km, 25km, Women's 10km and kids 5.5km mountain bike options.

In the unlikely circumstances that the event is unable to run in October, an additional reserve date is February 6 to 7 2021.

The Whaka100 will happen on Sunday October 25. Photo / Supplied

Event Director Tim Farmer said he recognised a postponement could be disappointing, but the health and wellbeing of all stakeholders was of utmost importance.

"In what is a continually evolving and challenging time, not just within New Zealand but within the event industry right across the world, we recognise that a postponement of an event that you are looking forward to is disappointing.

"A decision has been reached with our event partners, land owners, accommodation providers and local council to postpone the event until October 24 2020."

Farmer said they would continue to follow the Government public health instructions.

"We thank you for your patience and support in this trying time and look forward to providing you with an exceptional race experience later this year."

Last year 96 per cent of Winter Forest Festival participants travelled from outside of Rotorua.

"The event should play its part in the stimulus of assisting the Rotorua economy with the event and participants expected to spend around $1 million in Rotorua over the weekend, based on previous years spending patterns," Farmer said.

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