American Express Queenstown Winter Festival gains QLDC event funding

Queenstown, New Zealand (12 March 2013) - The American Express Queenstown Winter Festival has successfully gained the support of the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Events Office in the latest round of event funding. QLDC announced today that the Winter Festival will be a recipient of $117,738 under the existing Commercial Events Fund - Major Economic Events category. The funding includes both a cash and in-kind component.

Funding for the festival will be utilised to help meet both the community and commercial objectives of the festival. Festival Manager Lisa Buckingham is thrilled to have the support of QLDC, especially as the Festival celebrates its fortieth anniversary.

“Sponsorship and funding is critical to the ongoing viability and growth of the Queenstown Winter Festival. It is an expensive event to run but one which delivers so many community and commercial benefits. The event is embedded in our community as it announces the arrival of winter and is held early in our winter season so is of great economic benefit to our businesses.”

“Having the support of the Events Office endorses our strategic objectives, and reaffirms the local significance of the event,” says Ms Buckingham.

The QLDC grant will go toward the delivery of the 2014 festival, being held from 20 – 29 June. The Festival has become an iconic New Zealand event and delivers around $57 million back into Queenstown’s local economy. It has also become an important annual celebration for the local community since it launched in 1975 and has stayed true to its roots as a festival by the community for the community.

QLDC initiated the Events Office following the Shaping Our Future forums, when Council made the decision to invest more in attracting and supporting major events in the district. As a result of this, Council adopted a revised Events Strategy in April 2013 and also boosted the amount of funding available in the 2013-14 Annual Plan.

ENDS

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