NELSON, USA CLUB

The Richmond Festival promotion has started and a group from the Nelson, USA Club got together for a photo opportunity for the Waimea Weekly.

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Richmond will become base camp USA for three days during the Rugby World Cup.

The Tasman District Council has been given $18,000 through the NZ 2011 Festival Lottery fund for the Richmond Festival, a three-day gala of all things American, ranging from a day of fun and games and “tailgating” (a car boot picnic) to a Stars and Stripes block party and a social sevens tournament.

The council’s community recreation adviser, Mike Tasman-Jones, said the concept came from Nelson city’s adoption of the Italian team. “We thought we would adopt their rivals, the US team.”

The coaches and players were unlikely to attend the festival but it would be a gesture of welcome, and a chance for expatriate Americans to give Kiwis a taste of their culture, he said.

The event will kick off on Sunday, September 25 with 600 junior and senior rugby players converging on Jubilee Park for the Tasman 7s Invitational Tournament.

The Monday will see Croucher St and Queen St filled with with baton-twirling, bands, burgers and classic American cars for a Stars and Stripes block party. It will culminate in a classic Kiwi picnic of the best local fare.

The final day will see a New Zealand-style tailgating party. The much-loved American games of ladder toss, cornhole and sholf will combine with traditional Kiwi activities such as the gumboot toss, wheelbarrow and sack races, terrier races and duck herding.

Richmond Unlimited business co-ordinator Keryn Sheppard said the festival was still in the early stages of planning but most retailers were getting behind the Stars and Stripes block party.

 

Mr Tasman-Jones said expatriate Americans were free to contact him to refine the ideas. “It would be great to dig out some people doing fantastic US tucker.”

Source: The Nelson Mail

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