"I can get quite a lot of 'in kind' from the community as they have bought into Vintage Weekend in a huge way, but dollars and cents still have to add up at the other end of the day."
Property Brokers were ready to come on board as sponsors for the 2022 event, but, unfortunately, it was cancelled at the 11th hour.
"We greatly appreciate these guys getting into it."
Ritesh Verma, Property Brokers Whanganui branch manager, says he and his team always like to get involved with the community.
"This is probably the biggest party in town and we like a good party. It's something we want to be part of: the community gives to us and we want to give back. That's what we do."
Once again a lot of the events and activities will be focused on the river end of town.
"We've stayed with that, particularly given how cool the buildings and spaces are in the bottom end of town," says Bruce.
"It's exceptional, and it's probably the best way we can celebrate that, remembering that Vintage Weekend is a celebration of Whanganui in the broadest possible sense, underpinned by the 'vintageness' of the buildings and the cars we bring in, and the fact that some of us will dress up in vintage clothing."
He says it's time to start hunting through op shop stocks for something of suitable age to wear.
"Vintage is really something that is old that is of value, and we tend to say 30 years or older."
That's a broad definition and allows plenty of scope. Although ...
"We can manage without stubbies and we can do without budgie smugglers on the street," says Bruce. "That's not necessarily what our 'go to' is."
Bruce says they are going to "activate" Drews Ave on Saturday.
"It's going to be more of a quirky space. That's really to try and get flow from the markets up through Drews Ave into the Ridgway St intersection.
"The Avenue itself is going to be pretty similar but there will be these add-on spaces on the Saturday; that goes through until 10 o'clock, then, hopefully, people will go through into venues."
"That's part of our sponsorship," says Ritesh. "If we can make this bigger and better for Whanganui then everyone wins. The Vintage Weekend Trust, the Caboodle, local people, local cafes, accommodation, and the outskirts as well, everyone wins.
"I think that's really important that we've been able to help enable that and let Whanganui thrive. It's our weekend."
Bruce says the three days of Vintage Weekend pull $3.9 million into the local economy.
The Sunday will again feature the Shindig on the riverbank but it will start earlier and there will be events and activities for children in the early part of the programme. The whole day revolves around people having a picnic by the river while listening to live music.
"We're 'boutiqueing' up the food and beverage side of things there so you can buy picnic boxes ... and there will be children's games," says Bruce.
Low-to-the-ground picnic tables will be on the riverbank for Shindiggers to use.
"We're just going with what the vibe is and what people are doing already."
There will be other attractions like traction engine rides.
Tami Neilson will be performing in the evening in a Vintage Weekend fundraiser.
"Tami was here seven or eight years ago and she played on the Ridgway Stage, which was the main stage at that time. It was just after she'd come out to New Zealand from Canada.
So she will be here with her band on the Sunday night."
On Monday, Plumber Dan will be running the trolley derby on Queens Park hill.
"There's an awful lot happening," says Bruce.
"And we're proud to be part of it," says Ritesh. "We've got 89 branches so we can push this outside of Whanganui, on top of what the trust is doing as well."
"There are many advantages to this relationship and PR is definitely one of them," says Bruce.
