Vital festival ingredient drops in!

Queenstown showed its best side yesterday, a picture-perfect ski resort, after a blanketing of snow covered the mountains five days out from the start of what has been dubbed the Southern Hemisphere's ultimate winter party.

Winter Festival director Simon Green said snow, one of the ingredients critical to the success of the Queenstown Winter Festival, was in abundance in the town yesterday with a light dusting on the ground down to the shores of Lake Wakatipu in the morning.

The snow, courtesy of the wintry blasts that have wreaked havoc across the central South Island in the past week, was not leading to any complaints from Mr Green.

"It's probably the best snow we've had for the start of the winter festival ever," he said.

"This year there'll be a lot of skiing going on."

MetService is predicting further snow later in the week.

This year the festival entered its 32nd year, with more than 60 events planned, Mr Green said.

"With less than a week and counting, everyone's just getting excited."

Queenstown Mayor Clive Geddes said snow during the past week had helped set the tone in the resort town ahead of the festival's opening on Friday.

"It's a hell of a lot better than not having it (snow)," he said.

"Everyone's very pleased."

Destination Queenstown chief executive David Kennedy echoed that sentiment.

"There's a great buzz in town at the moment."

The festival was estimated to bring about 40,000 people into Queenstown each year, injecting about $10 million into the local economy, Mr Kennedy said.

However, an "economic benefit survey" this year would for the first time measure exactly the economic rewards reaped from the festival in the Queenstown area.

Snow ahead of the festival's opening boded well for its success, Mr Kennedy said.

The festival was well known throughout New Zealand and was growing its profile across the Tasman – largely because of its long history, he said.

"The challenge is to raise awareness of the festival around the rest of the world."

The festival's mountain home, Coronet Peak, opened last Thursday with an average base of between 45cm and 70cm of snow.

Coronet Peak ski area manager Duncan Smith said mountain conditions were set for a "legendary" festival with excellent ski and riding conditions.

The Remarkables and Cardrona Alpine Resort are both scheduled to open for the 2006 ski season on Saturday.

Treble Cone will open on June 27 and Snow Park NZ in the Cardrona Valley is on schedule for a June 29 open


SOURCE: By JARED MORGAN