Cromwell is decking the halls as the Festive Fete comes around once again.

Event organiser Anthea Lawrence Central Otago’s premiere outdoor Christmas shopping event is still offering up amazing music, food, wine and gift shopping galore, but this year a few things have changed.

“The announcement that we will be moving to the new Covid Protection Framework ( the traffic light system) on December 3rd was really unexpected,” Anthea says. 

“This means that everyone who enters the event will need to be double vaccinated. 

“We are really looking forward to being able to have the event and to support all the wonderful stallholders.” 

You’ll need to be double vaccinated and have a copy of your vaccine pass to enter this year’s Cromwell Festive Fete. 

Anthea asks for patience as entry requirements mean more passes to scan. 

“I know that the good people of Central Otago and Central Lakes will be patient with the staff on the gate who will be under a bit more pressure with having to scan passes.”

There will be other changes as well, with guests being invited to drive in, park, then walk to the new entrance to the event. 

There they will line up, scan the QR code, have their vaccine pass scanned, then pay. There will also be an exit separate from the entry.

This year’s Festive Fete will have a new layout. 

“We also have a new layout for the event,” Anthea explains. 

“Because we needed to make more space between stalls, to meet the Covid requirements, I decided to actually go all in and finally use a really pretty part of the Racecourse area that I have been wanting to incorporate for years,” she says. 

“It will be a wonderful day out”.

The Festive Fete will take place at Cromwell Racecourse December 4, from 10-3:30pm

Entry is $15 per adult, and children under-14 are free.

Masks are required as well as scanning of printed vaccine passes.