18 MAY 2016

Every Mode of Transport Helps Full Oyster Festival

Almost every mode of transport is being employed as people from every corner of New Zealand and beyond descend on Bluff this Saturday for the 2016 Bluff Oyster & Food Festival at the Festival site in Lee Street, Bluff.

So many are heading south for the Festival that tickets are already sold out!

Many fly in from all over New Zealand and beyond and this year a special Air New Zealand Grabaseat flight will bring a full planeload from Auckland to arrive in Invercargill at 10.15am. Transfers have been arranged to and from the Festival site and after a day of Festival fun the plane departs Invercargill bound for Auckland at 6.15pm on Saturday evening.

The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association have promoted the event to their members and they too have received a lot of interest. They expect more than 50 campervans belonging to people from all over New Zealand to descend on a special park for Certified Self Contained vehicles at a site near Ocean Beach at the entrance to Bluff. The association have hired minivans to shuttle their members to the Festival and back again from the site.

Others are coming south as part of tour groups, social club outings and groups of friends, either making a return pilgrimage to the Festival or to experience the event for the first time. Once they hit Invercargill festival goers can catch buses to and from Bluff. Full details of the service are available on the Festival website -www.bluffoysterfest.co.nz

They are coming for a great day out - by car, campervan, bus and plane not to forget the Stewart Islanders making their way to Bluff by boat.

Those lucky enough to attend this year's event will be able to enjoy the delectable Bluff Oyster along with other succulent southern seafood plus other tasty food offerings along with fine beverages.

The entertainment gets underway at 11am after the gates open at 10.30am with the traditional Piping In Of The Oyster, the Ode and official welcome.

The Bluff School Kapa Haka group commences the entertainment programme at 11.30am on the main stage followed by a mix of local and out of town performers - The Flaming Moes, Vixen, the Bragg Brothers and The Beat Girls.

While the music entertains on the main stage all day long, the Shed 3 Stage hosts Mapu Kuki Airnai Cook Island Drummers as festival goers arrive. Later in the day the Oyster Opening competitions commence at 12.30pmfollowed by the Oyster Eating Competitions.

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