Community festival fills space left by highland games

Confusion around Covid-19 meant the Waipu Caledonian Society had no choice but to cancel the traditional Waipu Highland Games for New Year’s Day 2021. Instead organisers are using the opportunity to embrace the wider community, offering all local community groups – such as schools, sports clubs, social services groups – that have been disadvantaged by Covid-19 an extra chance to raise some much needed funds and to lift their public profile.

“After the ‘terrible’ year people have experienced because of Covid-19, we want to give everyone the opportunity to come together and enjoy a really positive way to start the new year,” explains festival co-organiser Ron Davidson. “This initially started as a Waipu village-based idea, but has since captured the imagination of many others, quickly becoming a much wider Bream Bay community event.”

A team representing a number of local community groups formed a sub-committee to stage a ‘one off’ community festival event at Waipu’s Caledonian Park running from 9am-2pm on New Year’s Day 2021. There will be music, performers, games, market stalls, community information booths, food and drink… and much more.

Organisers are inviting everyone to come and join in the fun and frivolity for a simple gold coin donation to cover basic running costs, with any profit made donated to local charitable causes.

Wondering about the Fred Dagg connection? The family of John Clarke (aka Fred Dagg) was approached by Ron Davidson and were thrilled to allow his image to help promote the event. John’s daughter Lorin went so far as to say “the world needs more of this grassroots community sort of thing right now.”