Confident their Dark Sky Community accreditation is imminent, a group of Naseby campaigners is planning a party in honour of the stars, with $6,000 in community funding confirmed to help make it happen.

The township will host ‘Celebrating Naseby’s Dark Sky’ on Saturday, September 27, kicking off at 2pm with family-friendly activities before the stars take centre stage. 

Organisers say the timing - just before daylight saving begins and during the school holidays - will give young families the best chance to learn about and enjoy the night sky.

The Dark Sky Community status is an international accreditation recognising communities that preserve and protect their night sky from light pollution. 

After more than a decade working toward the criteria, the Naseby group believes its official recognition is just around the corner.

One of the organisers, Dave Brady, told the Maniototo Community Board on Thursday (September 18), “We can finally see that the light at the end of the tunnel is…starlight”.

He said Maniototo offered something unique for astro-tourism - stars could be seen straight from backyards, whereas in other locations that required “getting out into the wilds”.

“[This is] adding a new reason for Maniototo to be a ‘must-do’.”

The community board also backed the Tiari Wai River Festival to be held again in Pātearoa in January, agreeing to fund $1,219 towards the costs of portaloos. 

Organisers said the festival had gained momentum with live bands attracting visitors from further afield.

Now in its third year, this time around kite flying will be added, inspired by the huge success of Christchurch’s Brighton Kite Festival. 

Organisers hope their festival could soon become a regular stop on the national kite-flying calendar.

The board didn’t have enough in its current year’s promotion and event grants budget ($5,000) to cover both applications, but agreed to allocate available funds and seek council sign-off to use leftover funds (totalling $3,556) from last year for the remainder.

There is a further $6,700 in a separate ‘community’ grants pool to divvy up, and council staff indicated to the board despite no applications forthcoming at that meeting, some appropriate projects were in the pipeline, presented at a recent funding clinic.

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