The Black Seeds are set to perform at the Sound Valley music festival on Saturday night. Photo / David James
The Black Seeds are set to perform at the Sound Valley music festival on Saturday night. Photo / David James
Event organisers around the region have been left scrambling after the Government announced the change in Covid-19 alert levels.
Month-long women's festival La Fiesta got under way on Saturday, and organiser Carla Donson said they were really fortunate that none of the events had "uncontrolled entries and exits".
"We don'thave any events with random members of the public turning up into an uncontrolled space," Donson said.
Carla Donson says La Fiesta has no events that allow "uncontrolled entries and exits". Photo / Bevan Conley
"That makes my job as the overall festival organiser a whole lot easier, and that also means relying on the confidence that we already have with our individual event organisers, that they're activating systems that they already have in place.
"From that perspective, I'm feeling pretty confident that we'll carry on as best as we can."
Exhibition openings would be the events most likely to be affected this week, Donson said.
"One of our exhibition artists at Space Gallery on Wednesday is from Auckland but she is already en route, so the programme can continue as planned.
"The notable impact will be changes to the planned provision of refreshments - none will be served under level 2 - and strict crowd management and physical distancing within the venue."
The Local Wild Food Challenge is set to be held at the Raetihi showgrounds this Saturday, in conjunction with the Lilburn Transport Waimarino A & P Show.
Whether or not it will take place depends on further Government announcements this week.
"A very difficult decision was made by our team that if we, New Zealand, continue to stay at Covid-19 level 2 then we will cancel the event," organiser Maaki Tuatini said.
"Our community health is our priority."
The Local Wild Food Challenge in Raetihi will only go ahead this weekend if the region returns to alert level 1. Photo / Bevan Conley
Waimarino A & P Show secretary Robyn Hodder said the events over Saturday and Sunday would probably only take place if the region dropped back to alert level 1.
"It'll be over 100 people, so it's over that [alert level 2] threshold," Hodder said.
"We will make a final decision on Thursday, and we'll be letting people know."
Saturday's inaugural Sound Valley music festival at Cooks Gardens is also under threat, with thousands expected to flock to the event.
Organiser Gioia Damosso said she was in the process of getting feedback from all the booked artists on who could still perform if the country returned to alert level 1 by the weekend.
"Obviously, even if we're allowed to go ahead, that doesn't necessarily mean people would still want to play," Damosso said.
"Everyone's saying they still want to go ahead with the gig, though.
"It's super close now, and we've put so much work and organising into it, so if everything goes to plan, and if we're told on Wednesday afternoon we can come out of level 2, then we'll continue with the festival.
"In the event of not being able to go ahead, we'll postpone to another weekend. To everyone who bought tickets, those tickets will still be valid for the next event."
The Whanganui Musicians Club was set to host pop-folk duo Looking For Alaska on Friday night but the gig has now been postponed.
