The annual Picton New Year's Eve party is always held on the foreshore. Photo: Supplied to LDR
Buses will not be available for those planning to spend their New Year's Eve in Picton due to a scheduling clash with cruise ships visiting the region.
The annual party usually attracts about 6000 people to the Picton foreshore for live entertainment and to watch the fireworks at midnight.
The event, organised by Pure Events Marlborough in partnership with the Marlborough District Council, normally provided buses to help people travel between Blenheim and Picton. At one stage those buses were free.
But at a council committee meeting last week, the council's regional events adviser Samantha Young said the buses would not be available this year.
"The organisers have been trying for months to try and organise this," she said.
Young said at one stage Pure Events Marlborough thought they had found an option, but it fell through.
"Unfortunately a cruise ship is in town so all the bus transport is taken up with that.
"The drivers can only have so many hours. They have looked into so many different avenues."
A Ritchies shuttle, used for the Picton New Year's Eve event in 2016. Photo: Supplied / LDR / Marlborough Express
Port Marlborough's cruise ship schedule showed that cruise ships Silver Muse and Ovation of the Seas were expected in Picton on December 31, and Norwegian Sun on January 1.
A similar roadblock hit organisers in 2022 when there was not enough drivers around and the bus service had to be cancelled.
Young said of the 6000 to 7000 people who attended the previous new year's event in Picton, only 160 people used the bus.
Pure Events Marlborough director Katrina Lange said this year's event would have a larger children's area.
Pure Events Marlborough director Katrina Lange. Photo: Supplied to LDR
The event had secured two new sponsors, Ray White and Bluebridge.
"So we've got a kids' entertainer to kick things off, and then also an area with kids' activities and face painting and all that sort of thing," she said.
"Then we've got some fantastic bands playing right up until obviously the wonderful fireworks at midnight over the water."
Given it was a family event, Lange said she did not think the lack of bus service would be an issue.
While there were bars in Picton, people could not bring alcohol to the event, she said.
Lange said the buses had been subsidised in the past. They found they needed to charge a small fee otherwise people would book the bus and not show up.
"We have low numbers booking on there anyway, because people are wanting to come and go themselves, and not be restricted to a particular time."
Marlburians celebrate New Year's Eve at the Picton foreshore last year. Photo: Supplied / LDR / Marlborough Express
Meanwhile, this year's Blenheim Christmas Parade, also organised by Pure Events Marlborough, had so many floats signed up, there was a waitlist, Young said.
"It's fully booked and we've got such a fantastic variety and it's just lovely to see everyone making so much effort."
The parade would be held a week later than usual, on December 14, and would run as usual through the central business district, but would continue on to Pollard Park where Santa would open Christmas in the Park from 5pm.
The New Year's Eve party would kick off at 7pm on the Picton Foreshore.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
