The mandate for her new role was to "create an annual calendar of promotional events and opportunities for Mainstreet," she said.
The council underwrote the cost of the first Vintage Weekend to the tune of $100,000 which paid off handsomely and each year sees higher visitor numbers.
Elise left the role in 2015 and handed the baton to Amanda Gibbons, who is currently on maternity leave, and Kelly Scarrow is the current Mainstreet manager.
Kelly says preparation for this weekend is going "swimmingly" apart from a few small wrinkles to be ironed out.
The Saturday programme for Vintage Weekend is named the Caboodle and each year more events are added to the schedule.
The word caboodle - meaning a lot, bunch, or group - dates back to the 1840s and Elise Goodge said it seemed like a great vintage word to describe the multifarious activities on offer.
Each year the River City Caboodle, mainly centred in Victoria Ave, grows bigger and this year there will be live music (on two stages), food, shopping, a fashion show, a burlesque show, as well as vintage traction engines, trains, trams, planes and automobiles around town.
The section of Victoria Ave between Ridgway and Ingestre streets will be closed to all traffic today although vintage and classic cars will be parked up for visitors to admire.
Kelly Scarrow says a family zone has been introduced in conjunction with Jigsaw Whanganui this year.
"The library bus will be there and there will be stories and activities for parents and children to enjoy some family time.
Whanganui's vintage vibe is loved by the editors of Glory Days - the premier vintage lifestyle magazine for ladies and gents who love to make the past, present.
Editors Rose Jackson and Claire Gormley have been running fashion shows, Bathing Belles and Vintage Bride competitions at Vintage weekend in past years.
This year Rose will be coming down from Auckland to run the fashion show at the Caboodle on Saturday and the Vintage Costume Competition at the Riverside Festival on Sunday.
"We have great prizes this year," she says.
"The best dressed man and woman will each be awarded a pair of fabulous Minnie Cooper Five Star Slippers and we are still deciding what the prize for best dressed child will be."
Glory Days have been producing a My Vintage Town series of regional guides which normally retail for $5.
"Visitors to Vintage Weekend will be given a free copy of the Whanganui guide when they attend the events."
The fun times will continue tonight with the Caboodle Afterparty at Frank Bar and Eatery in Majestic Square where Wellington's Roseneath Centennial Ragtime Band and Whanganui's own Damn Raucous Brass will play some "rip roaring New Orleans style music".
Sunday's Riverside Festival will kick off with the Vintage Car Rally leaving Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens, Taupo Quay at 9am and the fun continues beside, over and on the river all day with live music, food and vintage bus rides from 12pm.
The DC3 plane visiting from Auckland will be offering scenic flights from Whanganui airport and at 1pm Whanganui waka ama crews will test man power against steam power racing paddle steamer Waimarie from the Dublin Street Bridge to Hatrick's Wharf.
At the same time, a Tiger Moth bi-plane and a Venom Jet will fly over the city and SteamRail Whanganui will be offering jigger rides at their shed on Taupo Quay.
The fun will continue after dark with the Moonlight Movie Forrest Gump screening at Cooks Gardens where gates will open at 6pm.
Vintage Weekend Trust chairman Bruce Jellyman said that even though rain is forecast for Sunday, it is unlikely to affect any of the events.
"Looking at the detailed forecast, it looks as though there may be scattered showers which shouldn't affect anything.
"The food stalls and music can be moved if it gets really bad but people can check the Vintage Weekend Facebook page on Sunday morning if they are concerned."
Monday sees the return of the Soapbox Derby on Drews Ave and Vintage Weekend Trust co-ordinator Sally Jane Smith said it promises to be a big one this year.
"It had to be cancelled last year because organiser Totalspan had been flooded in 2015. The year before there were around 3000 people at the soapbox derby so we are hoping to get at least that many this year."
Monday also offers the Garden Amble, taking in 10 of Whanganui's loveliest summer gardens with refreshments, stalls and raffles available at one of the gardens.
Tickets must be pre-purchased and are available from Wanganui Garden Centre, Springvale Garden Centre or Mitre 10 Mega.
Mint Cafe in Majestic Square will also be offering their fundraiser brunch for Women's Refuge on Monday with a vintage theme and spot prizes for best dressed. Tickets can be purchased from Mint.
Women's Refuge is just one of the local charities to benefit from Vintage Weekend.
Craig and Laura Cleveland will be donating the proceeds from their Death By Chocolate event at Cleveland Funeral Home on Sunday to the Cancer Society and some agencies hold their own fundraising events and stalls during the weekend.
Last year saw RSPCA hold a stall where they had some appealing four-legged friends in attendance.
Sally Jane said around 6000 people attended the Caboodle last year and there were 3000 at the Riverside Festival.
Hearty congratulations are due to Mainstreet and members of the Vintage Weekend Trust which also includes Peter Hardy, Mick Paul, Ian Chamberlain, Keith Turner and Ed Boyd.
In three years the event has grown from a beautiful infant into a strapping toddler
