17 September, 2005:A few months ago I was rung up by someone off the Blossom festival parade organising committee and asked if Waipawa’s big yellow duck could go into the Parade, and I had to tell her that she had rung the wrong person –that the duck didn’t belong to me, but the Chamber of Commerce. I gave Lynne the appropriate person’s name to contact about it and then heard nothing more about it until less than two weeks before the parade –when suddenly everything was dumped at my doorstep.

To Junkyard Queen to Festival Princess. Could it be done?

I had to pick up this duck from amongst the old sinks and rusty iron etc and try and make it into something presentable!

The prospect of going into the Parade with so little time to prepare was quite frightening as I knew that a lot of people go to a lot of trouble with their floats, starting to make blossoms etc months before hand.

But I came home from work each day and put my head down making flowers, fairy things and painting ducks for the sides of the trailer.

It was fun… in a stressful, gluey, painty kind of way.

Anyway the day of the Blossom festival came and Murray and I paddled up stream to Hastings. It was an awesome trip –with people turning their heads when they saw the duck trekking down the road towards Hastings trying to believe their eyes. Many tooted and waved, or hung out of their windows and cheered us on. Pawa didn’t fail to raise a smile.

Arriving at set-up area

At the festival I was blown away by the whole experience of being in the parade. It was really FUN and everyone who we passed by waved and cheered.

The crowds were huge! I was not used to being amongst so many people coming from a little town of total population of about 1200. It was Awesome!

I was half expecting some negative comments to come our way too (as I had read an article only a day or two before where our mayor in Central Hawkes Bay labelled Pawa the Duck as an embarrassment) but there was not one single negative comment shouted.

“Look! Here comes Waipawa’s duck!”

“Go Pawa!”

“Yay… for the duck!”

“Put the duck back up!” -were just a few of the comments.

A few teenagers shouted “You’ve got our vote!” after they read the sign on the door of the car pulling Pawa which looked suspiciously like election hoardings instructing people to “Vote Pawa for PM” (on Election Day too!).

We had our hoardings… Maybe we should have taken a ballot box too?

Anyway our two fairies looked really cute and waved their wands over the crowd casting the spell of fun and happiness wherever they went. Thanks Phoebe and Lucy. You were great!

Phoebe and Lucy – Duck Fairies extraordinaire!

And Thanks too to Robin who made an awesome duck music sound track with such classics as “Disco Duck”, “Mellow yellow”, “Five little ducks” and “Rubber ducky” to name just a few.

It was an Awesome day and we, (and Pawa) really enjoyed it.

And lastly a HUGE thanks to the Blossom Festival organises who invited us to come. You have lots to be proud of and I hope you take a little time to put your feet up now and recharge those batteries to be ready again for next year.

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule taking time out to pose with Pawa the duck.

Nearly forgot – It was great to meet a mayor who wasn’t ‘embarrassed’ to pose beside our duck and who was willing to be not only supportive, but involved in local initiative. Well done Lawrence! It looked like you were really enjoying yourself.

It’s a pity our Mayor can’t take a leaf out of your book and let us have fun too.