Some may call it the Coachella of the Wakatipu.
There were not as many global pop stars or TikTok influencers, but the Arrowtown Autumn Festival’s weekend events certainly drew in one heck of a crowd.
An estimated 10,000 descended on the streets of the village across the first few days of the festival, now in its 37th year, many coming from well outside the area.
Several groups spoken travelled to Queenstown from overseas and were delighted to arrive and discover the festival in full swing.
Others were long-time attendees from around Otago and Southland, including sisters Teresa and Sammie, who had travelled to Arrowtown from Dunedin every year the festival had been held since 2010.
Saturday’s market day attracted the biggest crowds, spread over two blocks and hosting about 115 stalls run by local charities, small businesses, travelling vendors and more.
The market day was free of single-use cups, an initiative festival organisers hoped to make a staple for the future, they say.
Festival co-ordinator Catherine Fallon and committee co-chairwoman Nicola Bentley say they partnered with Sustainable Queenstown to make it work, using mugs and keep-cups for drinks which could be returned to volunteers for washing and reusing.
Just up the road from the markets, Circus Space shows stunned audiences with aerial acrobatics, 20-odd vintage cars — some of which were over 70 years old — and the famous festival parade made its way through town.
Groups floated down Buckingham St end-to-end, steaming, spluttering, dancing and smiling, including Arrowtown Fire Brigade and its historic display of fire engines from different eras.
Premier float-winner Arrowtown Scouts was a stand out — one youngster hung from a crane in front of the truck carrying their fellow scouts.
Runner-up was Arrowtown Preschool’s Anzac depiction complete with a large, stuffed donkey, followed by Arrowtown’s Chinese community in third.
On top of Saturday’s major events, festival action over the weekend included the Highland Fling, Sunday’s Arrow River Dash, the Dog Show, and a sold-out Pie, Pint & Pinot.
