Whitianga Festival of Speed

Hi Tracey -

A message for all the organisers and event managers .

Serious congratulations for a really fantastic event at Whitianga last weekend!

We're Aucklanders with a place at Cooks and had visitors up from Napier for the weekend. They were absolutely glowing in their praise - as we were. And we didn't even get to the airfield. Other friends did and were also raving about everything they saw and did.

We reckon you did a tremendous job with the organisation and the publicity and the quality of the "speed merchants". The aerobatics were stunning. The town decoration was great. We thoroughly enjoyed all the atmosphere and wandering around enjoying it all, looking at the machinery. Just to have enthusiasts come into town and park their cars/bikes/boats to look at is great. Having the Navy there for example, is a great move and they should be encouraged again next time to be there and fly the flag. Next time our Napier visitors will buy clothes/home decoration etc. They just weren't prepared for the quality available in the shops this time and weren't expecting the range of shops now available.

Not to be taken as a criticism - purely a suggestion for next time..... for the crowds along the waterfront watching the off shore boats and that magnificent big launch race, we needed coffee/drinks/food stalls on the grass verges.We were up towards the wharf end under the palm trees. Mobile sellers there would have done very well. We had to send the girls off on a long walk to find a coffee while we watched the races and they couldn't find anything except at the other end of town and it was all cold by the time they got back.

Our visitors and heaps of others all want to book our beachhouse for next year's event!!
I'm usually pretty critical of these types of events - on a cost-benefit basis. I expect you have invested heavily this time but I reckon you did a top job and should be congratulated. I heard also that Hoppers had spent a lot of money backing this event. Thanks to them also and please pass on how much we appreciated it.

Regards
John & Noelene Steele family/friends