Photo credit: Matthew Clode WOMAD, the world’s festival, is delighted that following New Plymouth District Council’s announcement of a host city agreement with WOMAD International, New Zealand's premier international festival will return to its home .
Meet the former interior decorator helping to strengthen South Taranaki s communities
16 Apr, 2021 05:00 PM
4 minutes to read
The war memorial beside the Alton Coronation Hall is one of Jacq Dwyer s favourite spots. Photo / Bevan Conley
The war memorial beside the Alton Coronation Hall is one of Jacq Dwyer s favourite spots. Photo / Bevan Conley
Laurel Stowell is a reporter for the Whanganui Chroniclelaurel.stowell@whanganuichronicle.co.nzWhangaChron
After 18 years as an interior decorator Jacq Dwyer is ensconced in rural South Taranaki shoring up the foundations of community - the rural halls, the public events and the stories that need to be remembered.
Taranaki Chamber of Commerce chief executive Arun Chaudhari said he was delighted with the decision, particularly with multiple events coming up – including the Americarna festival of classic American cars, the Witt student graduation, which was expecting 1500 people. It was also good news for businesses – one hotelier had been fully booked for this week “and it dropped to 25 per cent on Sunday”, Chaudhari said. “They talked about losing about $20,000 for the week - just washed away.” But he warned against being complacent. “We’ve got to keep hammering: scan the QR code and have your Bluetooth on. “It s not going away for a long time.”
ANDY JACKSON/Stuff
New Plymouth business owner Craig Macfarlane thinks losing Womad, the biggest weekend of the year in Taranaki, will hit industries hard.
The loss of Womad 2021 may have broken the hearts of regular festival visitors, but it has left many Taranaki businesses facing a tough year ahead, a hospitality guru has warned. “People rely on the spike that Womad brings,” Craig Macfarlane said. “It could be quite a different winter because of it.” Macfarlane, who owns a number of hospitality businesses across New Plymouth, said the festival, which usually takes place in March, is the biggest weekend of the year for the region.
By: Christie Eliezer
Four Deaths Mar Three Summer Festivals Down Under
Four deaths marred the return of three summer festivals Down Under. Two were at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne, New Zealand, which drew a daily 30,000 Dec. 28-31.
Audio engineer David Peterson from Wavefront Audio, who was working at the festival, died of suspected heart failure.
Wavefront manager Milo Kerrigan explained, “Dave had injured his arm two days before, requiring a few stitches, and was on light duties as the system tech for the three stages we look after at R&V – typically, being the hard ass roadie that he was, he was back after a couple of hours patched up and soldiering on.” After set-up, Peterson had a nap in a van. When a crew member tried to wake him up, he was unresponsive.