Weekend is a real winner

I just don't think I am going to be able to do it. It's not that I don't want to, more that the scale of the proposition is just too great to manage in the timeframe. I can't see how any ordinary person could actually successfully achieve it.

What, you may well wonder, is the vexing issue to cause such angst? Why simply that there are so many events on in Wanganui this weekend, there is no way that I can see to get around them all. It's a case of prioritising, I'm afraid, so apologies to those whose events I don't get to. It's not that I don't want to go, just that there isn't enough time this weekend to do them all.

The list, as evidenced by today's story, is strong whichever way you look at it. From Mainstreet's Caboodle and its various activities to demolition derby, cricket, heritage exhibitions, fashion shows, boardwalk events, garden ambles, markets, the launching of the tram ... getting tired yet? And that's without mentioning the VCC Rally 2012 Open Day tomorrow, which is sure to be one of the biggest events the city has seen in years.

And speaking of the vintage car rally, the vehicles and their drivers and supporters have added some real spark to the city. They are a real talking point. Everywhere you go, people are talking about the cars, their favourites and where they saw them. I was in a shop quite early in the morning one day this week as the staff reluctantly closed the doors to keep out the breeze. They didn't want to, because they so enjoyed seeing the old cars driving past. It is a sentiment shared by many and their presence has brought a real buzz to Wanganui.

Of course, the international car rally is a one-off. They won't be back next year but we need not get down about this. Rather we could use this experience as an opportunity to launch Anniversary Weekend as the time to get to Wanganui, where it's all happening. The events organised and planned for the next three days prove it can be done. Wanganui has enough attractions to bring people back, as long as we all work together for the common good. And that is another thing we have seen plenty of lately.

Rally organisers have been overwhelmed by the generosity and willingness of local businesses and other groups to get behind the event. Offers of assistance have been plentiful to resolve the many issues that emerge when running an event like this.

So, well done to all of you who have helped make this weekend one of the biggest and busiest on the social calendar. But, before we rest on our laurels congratulating ourselves on a job well done, let's spare a thought for next year and beyond that. We can build a lasting legacy of events, but we need to act now and work together.

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