Carnival Capers for Waipu

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It started with fantastic weather and ended with a big bunch of very tired but very satisfied volunteers.

It also started as a gala and, after six years has be-come a carnival of epic proportions and one of the biggest events on the Waipu summer calendar.

The 2015 Waipu East-er Carnival proved to be a huge hit with locals and holidaymakers alike, at-tracting the biggest crowd ever with school Mums,

Dads, kids and helpers pulling out all the stops to man the huge array of entertainment, food stalls and sideshows at this once-a-year Waipu Primary

School fundraiser.

For those who thought summer was over for Waipu then this event brought the town alive and the whole town was the beneficiary.

“We had a lot more free entertainment this year, there was something

for everyone, there was so much to see and do,” said organiser Fiona Barakat citing the Huanui and Bream Bay College bands, the Making a Scene living statues, the Circool Inter-active Circus, and to the mad Waipu lawnmower racing as novelties and events that captured lots of onlookers.

“Visitors seem to enjoy the country carnival atmos-phere; the pumpkins, pony rides and the petting zoo.

We try to add new games and attractions every year and this time the land Zorbs and coconut shy were big hits,” she added.

Though final figures weren’t available at print time the organisers offered a big shoutout to a wonderful bunch of sponsors whose support of the the ever-so successful farm-ers auction raised a record amount of $15,000.

Plans are already un-derway for an early Easter Carnival next year and the decision was unanimous: make 2016 even bigger.

Where are you going to be next Easter?