More ducks needed for spring festival

Last year's duck race at the Waipawa Spring Festival. Photo/File

The duck race at the annual Waipawa Spring Festival was so successful organisers are trying to source extra ducks for next year.

More than 1000 people enjoyed stalls, entertainment, food and the famous duck race at Saturday's event to raise money for Ronald McDonald House in Wellington.

Committee member Kristin Hansson said all 500 tickets for the duck race down the Waipawa River had sold out early and hundreds of people lined the riverbanks to watch the spectacle.

"The response from the public itself was amazing."

Because it was so popular, the organising committee is trying to source 200 more rubber ducks to make the event bigger next year.

The rest of the day was also a huge success with about $1500 being raised for Ronald McDonald House.

"It was an absolutely amazing day and gorgeous weather too."

There were about 35 stall holders from as far as Napier and Dannevirke selling art and crafts, plants, food and knick-knacks.

The only downside to the event was that some of the children's activities had to be cancelled and one stall holder couldn't come because the grass on Nelly Jull Park was too wet to be used, she said.

However, this did not deter festival-goers because numbers were up on previous years.

"I would just like to thank our amazing community for their support."

The festival was held along Waipawa's main street, the shopping centre next to Nelly Jull Park, and the Waipawa River for the duck race.

There was music, entertainment and a competition for children who had made their own ducks which was judged by Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Alex Walker.