Balloons were hugely popular when they last came to Te Awamutu.
Waipā can look forward to a bumper crop of community events as the country moves out of Covid restrictions.
A council committee yesterday considered a raft of funding applications from groups planning to hold events in the community.
Among them was a Waipā day for the Hamilton based Balloons over Waikato event next March. Balloons over Waipā was granted $5600.
Major grants went on the water – $50,000 for a week-long Dragon Boat Festival next April and $20,000 for the Waka Ama national sprint championships in January – both to be held at Lake Karāpiro.
The District Promotion Committee was provided a total of $243,637 to allocate – $150,000 from the 2022-23 budget and $93,637 rolled over from 2021-22 unspent funds.
A total of 37 applications were received – seeking a total of $405,670 and the council went almost completely with staff recommendations in allocating a total of $227,600.
The District Promotion committee comprised Mayor Jim Mylchreest, Deputy Mayor Liz Stolwyk, Claire St Pierre, Marcus Gower, Philip Coles and community representatives Kevin Burgess and Merv Gyde.
The report to council said two and a half years into the pandemic, which had had significant and negative impacts on the event sector, “we are starting to see a slow but steady return to events in the world and, albeit slightly slower, a return to events in Waipā too.”
District Promotion events to receive funding:
IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Fest $50,000, Waka Ama Nationals Sprint Championship $20,000, Maadi Cup $10,000, Ride New Zealand Cycling Festival $20,000, Armistice in Cambridge 2022 $12,000, Kihikihi Speedway Opening Meeting and Fireworks 2022 $8500, Black Friday Blow Out $12000, Karāpiro 100K Flyer $3,500.
Hydro Thunder National Championship $5000, Long Course Weekend $10,000, Wake NZ 2023 National Championships $3000, North Island Rowing Championships $3500, Balloons Over Waipā $5600,
Waipari Climbing Festival $5000, Christmas Regatta $3500,
Festival One $3,500, MD Dirt Drags $3000, Kihikihi International Polo $4000.
Mystery Creek Women’s International Polo Tournament $3000, Stars Dance Rock and Roll $4000, The Race by Grins $10,000, North Island Secondary Schools Regatta $3000, Xmas Eve at the Races 2022 $2000, Ngati Apakura Matariki Celebration $2000, Frazzled Kiwi Adventure Race $3000, Soaked in Adventure Race 2022 $3000, 2023 Canoe Racing and Oceania Sprint Championships $5000.
National Track Cycling Championships $1500, Branded Country Music Festival 2022 $1000, Cambridge to Hamilton Paddle race $2000, Masters Track Championships $1000, Clive Steenson Memorial Regatta $1000, A better Earth Eco-village International Youth Art Exhibition $2000, Karāpiro Rowing Club Regatta $2000.
Community events
Cambridge Christmas Festival $5200, Cambridge Autumn Festival $5000, Waipā Fun Run $3000, Stragglers Rod and Kustom Car Club Family Day $3500, Cambridge Cycling Festival $6000, Pirongia Trail Run $4000, River Tunes Concert $3000, Ngati Apakura and Rangiaowhia Commemoration $5000, Combined Cambridge Schools Kapa Haka Festival $1000, Kihikihi Waikato Eventing $3000,
Cambridge Half Marathon $3000.
CPS Fashion Show $2500, Arts on Tour NZ: Across The Great Divide $300, Arts on Tour NZ: Grant Haua Awa Blues $400, Arts on Tour NZ: Mad Dog Cabaret $200, Arts on Tour NZ: The Golden Ass $400,
Rosetown Posedown $2500, Te Awamutu Golf Course Fun Run $1000,
Picnic in the Park (Cambridge High School Board of Trustees) $2000,
Te Awamutu swap meet and car display $1000.
