Spring has arrived and with that the days are getting longer and hotter once again. Most of us are likely happy to see the end of winter after a long inversion layer period.

The arrival of spring also means time for Alexandra to host another Blossom Festival, a large and unique community event both for locals and those who travel from afar.

I like to do my bit for the community so at the start of the year I became Treasurer of the Blossom Festival Committee. Now, if you have been on a not-for-profit committee before you will realise that (done properly) they do consume a lot of time. However, given the history and importance of the event to Alexandra and the wider region it was a pleasure to be invited to contribute and assist.

What I didn’t realise when taking up the treasurer role was just how significant this event is for the community. 

I have attended many a Blossom Festival, both as a kid with my grandparents and, more recently, with my own children. Until joining the committee, though, I didn’t understand the scale of event management required. Even more importantly, I had no idea how much money this event raises – money that flows into our community each year.

What I find greatest about Blossom Festival (apart from the fact Martin McPherson and team run an entertaining event each year) is the fact that all money raised through grants, tickets or drinks sales is distributed wide and far back into the community. 

The economic scale of this unique event in a small New Zealand town has blown me away. From an economic perspective, the festival raises a lot of proceeds each year – much brought in by out-of-towners travelling to the region for the weekend – which then flow directly into our community. This benefits locals from areas as diverse as retail, advertising/media, food catering, cleaning, traffic management, equipment hire, prize winners to many more. 

The Blossom Festival really does provide a material level of economic stimulus to our region each year, which I am sure most other small regional towns would like to emulate.

So, while this year I won’t have the privilege of enjoying the festival from an attendee perspective, I will be hidden away in the background doing my part to make sure others enjoy the fantastic line up. 

But while working behind the scenes, I will take great comfort in knowing that my efforts will be contributing not only to an event with long-standing history in the region but also one that supports the economic prosperity of our region. 

On that note, when attending and enjoying the event please do take note of the sponsors and supporters who assist in making this event happen. Without them we would not be able to run such a special and important event for the region.