An estimated 3000 people lined Queenstown's waterfront yesterday to watch a Queenstown Winter Festival opening ceremony with a strong cultural flavour.
At the precise moment the Prime Minister was giving birth to a baby girl, the four-day festival got started with 200 torchbearers walking through the resort's CBD.
The procession ended on the beach at Queenstown Bay, where they greeted three waka ama.
After a powhiri and kapa haka by Wakatipu High School pupils, a Tiki Taane gig got the party started in front of a waterfront stage.
Across town, rival teams of skiers and snowboarders that included Winter Olympic medallists Zoe Sadowski Synnott and Nico Porteous went to battle in the ``Legends of Steel'' title on a rail set up on a snow-covered ramp.
Festivities continue today with the dog derby at Real Journeys-owned Cardrona Alpine Resort.
All previous derbies, apart from one cancelled because of bad weather, have been held at a NZSki-owned field _ usually Coronet Peak.
The change of venue has come about with Real Journeys becoming the naming rights sponsor of the winter festival.
A disappointed NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson told Queenstown's Mountain Scene newspaper in April there was a chance a competing dog derby would be held this year at Coronet Peak ``where it belongs''.
However, Mr Anderson said this week it would not be happening during the festival.
`We haven't done any planning for a dog derby but I'd never rule it out.
``It's an event we are really passionate about.
``We feel like it's part of the fabric of the peak.''
The dog derby was devised in 1975 by Coronet Peak rentals manager Des Gavin.
Cardrona general manager Bridget Legnavsky said this week she was ``just focussed on delivering a great event at Cardrona.
``That's all we care about.''
She said there had been plenty of interest and no sign people were put off by the change of venue.
And, she said, Cardrona had run dog derbies before, although she was unsure whether or not they were run during the festival.
``We've got great pictures of people running down Captains [Basin] with their dogs.
``They are not new to us.
``We are experienced with it.''
Today's programme in Queenstown features a dodgeball competition, a business lunch, comedy show, a Hollie Smith Duo gig at the Sherwood and a fireworks display over Queenstown Bay.
