Come up with winning name
Rotorua residents are being asked to get creative and come up with a new name for the city's inaugural three-day new year festival.
Rotorua District Council major events co-ordinator Kylie Lang says the person who comes up with the winning name will be rewarded with vouchers for two of Rotorua's latest tourist attractions.
In July, the council announced it would be looking to change the format of the long-running Mardi Gras which featured a concert and fireworks display at The Village Green on New Year's Eve.
The council's community and major events manager, Martin Croft, said the time had come for a major rethink.
The new festival will run from midday on December 30 until January 1 and will feature music, arts and street theatre, night markets, food and fireworks.
Tutanekai St would be the heart of the three-day celebration.
He said a sum of $70,000 was being looked at for the fireworks display, which would be held further out on Lake Rotorua so residents could get a better view.
He said there would still be a concert and show at The Village Green on New Year's Eve, but it would start and finish earlier to make it more family oriented.
The council has a budget of $40,000 for the annual event and Mr Croft said additional funds would be found from local trusts and community organisations.
Ms Lang said the naming competition would get the community involved in the event from the beginning. She said she was still wanting to know what people would like to see at the festival and was also looking for local acts and performers to participate.
She said the operators of new tourist attraction Rotorua Canopy Tours had donated two adult passes for their zipline tour and Rainbow Springs had donated a voucher for the recently completed Big Splash eco-tour.
"It's hard to talk about something when it hasn't got a name."
Ms Lang suggested people themed their ideas around what was great in Rotorua during 2012 and what they were looking forward to in 2013.
Email "Name the Festival" entries to readers@dailypost.co.nz or post to The Daily Post, PO Box 1442, Rotorua, or drop off to The Daily Post office at 1143 Hinemoa St. Entries close Friday, September 14.
