Unseasonal weather leads to snow event cancellation

Media release from the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival
22 June 2011

Unseasonal weather leads to snow event cancellation

Winter Festival Director Simon Green has today announced that three Winter Festival events planned to be held at Coronet Peak this weekend would be cancelled.

The events are the Budget Rent-a-Car Mountain Bikes on Snow scheduled for Saturday 25 June and the Tararua Skin to the Summit and the Firefighter Chill Factor Challenge both scheduled for Sunday 26 June.

“Due to current weather conditions, we cannot run events at Coronet Peak this weekend,” Green says. “In the meantime, there is plenty of action scheduled for downtown Queenstown this weekend, starting with the American Express Opening Party and Fireworks on Friday evening.

NZSki Marketing Manager Craig Douglas said it was “hugely disappointing and frustrating” that the opening of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables continued to be delayed.

“It’s clear we can't hold events when we don't have snow and we aren't open.

“It’s a great shame that we won't be able to have the festival events up the mountains this weekend, but the festival celebrates all of what Queenstown offers and is a winter celebration not simply a snow festival.

“There are plenty of downtown events and attractions throughout the ten days of festival and still many reasons to celebrate.”

For further information on any schedule changes, postponements or cancellations, please check the Festival web site at www.winterfestival.co.nz

The Southern Hemisphere’s biggest winter party, the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival returns from 24 June to 3 July for ten days of winter fun in Queenstown New Zealand.

To see the full programme line up and individual event details check out the complete American Express Queenstown Winter Festival calendar online at www.winterfestival.co.nz or pick up a programme at information outlets throughout the region.

Tickets for all events can be bought from TicketDirect online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz, by phone 0800 224 224 (03 450 9110), or in person at the Queenstown Events Centre or Queenstown i-Site (corner of Shotover and Camp streets)*.

Winter Starts Here! From 24 June to 3 July the 2011 American Express Queenstown Winter Festival celebrates 37 years of winter fun and festivities with 10 days of totally outrageous and uniquely Queenstown events. Join us on Facebook, become a Friend of Festival and keep an eye on www.winterfestival.co.nz to be first with the latest news and hot updates. For more information about Queenstown visit www.queenstown-nz.co.nz.

ENDS

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