Editorial: A busy calendar

OPINION: Summer in Nelson has been marked by frequent "What summer?"conversations, with the only consolation being the knowledge that the weather has been even less pleasant in most of New Zealand's other holiday destinations.

However, if sunshine hours haven't lived up to the expectations of visitors and residents – and so far they haven't – there can be no complaints about the range of activities on offer, many of them with a distinctly Nelson flavour.

Take the past weekend. The city once again hosted the annual Summer Kite Festival, an event which has grown in popularity over its 19 years and which attracts enthusiasts from far away.

Nelson's reliable sea breeze, Neale Park's proximity to the shoreline and the unflagging enthusiasm of organiser Ted Howard are they keys to this day's success – along with a common desire to see a large number of big, unlikely, colourful objects floating in the sky.

Sunday provided perfect conditions for that and guaranteed that the several thousand people who watched or took part went home satisfied.

A little further afield there was another annual event, the Tapawera Boys' and Girls' Agricultural Club Show. If the kite festival is a little bit "out there" (or "up there") the Tapawera show is a popular celebration of things traditional.

It's an unpretentious, fun rural gathering with a focus on animals and children, and it too attracts thousands every year, even on a day like Saturday when the weather was unreliable. As long as the community retains the show's simplicity, it will keep its charm.

Further away still, the Kowhatu Grove Winery's commanding site above Pohara was home to the first Golden Bay Cultural Food and Wine Festival, an event designed to showcase the various wines and foods that this part of the region can now offer.

Wine and food festivals are commonplace – but Golden Bay's geography, isolation and restful atmosphere give this one the opportunity to be special.

Many people will think that this was a festival just waiting to happen and it is almost certain to build on its initial success if it becomes an annual event.

The remarkable thing is that this was by no means an untypical amount of activity for the time of year in this region.

The calendar has been covered in opportunities to attend a wide range of exhibitions, performances, shows, festivals and competitions, with lots more still to come.

It's one thing to complain about the weather. How about rejoicing in everything that Nelson offers as well as sunshine?

- © Fairfax NZ News

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