The Waipara Vintage Festival is held biennially, starting in 1995.
It is to support the Friends of Glenmark Church, an Incorporated Society
which was formed in 1974 to assist in the maintenance and preservation
of the historic community Church in Waipara, North Canterbury, New
Zealand, as an architectural and community asset.
Major restoration work has been strengthening (it was an earthquake hazard) the building and much of the limestone was replaced. The next goal is to repair the roof.
The Waipara Vintage Festival has been held the last four times on 'Wattle Grove', Mackenzies Rd, Waipara.
The Weka Pass Railway runs steam train rides from a temporary 'halt' for the Festival adjacent to the festival site.
Previous years there has been exhibitions of many tractions engines, vintage tractors and cars, stationery engines, vintage ploughing, draught horses, display by the Waipara Volunteer Fire Brigade, chaff cutting, tin mill display, dog trial and sheep shearing demonstration, military vehicles, aerial top dressing display, ground fertiliser spreading by a truck with a 'blower', and a variety of interesting stalls, including food supplied by local organisations as fundraisers.
Major restoration work has been strengthening (it was an earthquake hazard) the building and much of the limestone was replaced. The next goal is to repair the roof.
The Waipara Vintage Festival has been held the last four times on 'Wattle Grove', Mackenzies Rd, Waipara.
The Weka Pass Railway runs steam train rides from a temporary 'halt' for the Festival adjacent to the festival site.
Previous years there has been exhibitions of many tractions engines, vintage tractors and cars, stationery engines, vintage ploughing, draught horses, display by the Waipara Volunteer Fire Brigade, chaff cutting, tin mill display, dog trial and sheep shearing demonstration, military vehicles, aerial top dressing display, ground fertiliser spreading by a truck with a 'blower', and a variety of interesting stalls, including food supplied by local organisations as fundraisers.
This year's Waipara Vintage Festival is going to be a wonderful family festival, located just up the road from the Weka Rass Railway's Glenmark railway station, Mackenzies Rd, Waipara.
With over 100 vintage tractors, headers, trucks and machinery of yester year on display over the two days, making it a great family outing to admire and respect agricultural progress, through the preservation of various machinery and the way farming has changed over the years.
The power house of many farms in those times was the Clydesdale horse and hopefully they will turn out again this year providing wagon rides and giving a ploughing demonstration. Also included in the weekend entertainment will be a display of dog agility and sheep dog display by one of the areas top sheep dog trialists.
Have a ride on the Weka Pass Railway which will be running alongside the Festival grounds, with special discounted fares. A display of farm animals, lambs, puppies, hens, along with a sheep shearing display will highlight everyday farming activities.
An aerial topdressing display is not to be missed and is a most spectacular event along with a truck doing ground spreading of fertiliser. Local Volunteer Fire Brigades willl give a display in conjunction with a helicopter with a monsoon bucket on fire fighting, again a spectacular event.
The Military Club will be here for the weekend also and have a great display of past military vehicles. The North Canterbury pipe band will be leading the Grand Parade which will be at 3.00pm both days. The Vintage Car Club, Ford and Hot Rod Club will have various cars on display and the Harley Davidson motorbike club will also be displaying their bikes.
A wide variety of stalls selling art and craft items and hot food stalls are all on the grounds.
Plenty of toilets and we have free parking for everyone, EFTPOS will be available for gate entry.
With over 100 vintage tractors, headers, trucks and machinery of yester year on display over the two days, making it a great family outing to admire and respect agricultural progress, through the preservation of various machinery and the way farming has changed over the years.
The power house of many farms in those times was the Clydesdale horse and hopefully they will turn out again this year providing wagon rides and giving a ploughing demonstration. Also included in the weekend entertainment will be a display of dog agility and sheep dog display by one of the areas top sheep dog trialists.
Have a ride on the Weka Pass Railway which will be running alongside the Festival grounds, with special discounted fares. A display of farm animals, lambs, puppies, hens, along with a sheep shearing display will highlight everyday farming activities.
An aerial topdressing display is not to be missed and is a most spectacular event along with a truck doing ground spreading of fertiliser. Local Volunteer Fire Brigades willl give a display in conjunction with a helicopter with a monsoon bucket on fire fighting, again a spectacular event.
The Military Club will be here for the weekend also and have a great display of past military vehicles. The North Canterbury pipe band will be leading the Grand Parade which will be at 3.00pm both days. The Vintage Car Club, Ford and Hot Rod Club will have various cars on display and the Harley Davidson motorbike club will also be displaying their bikes.
A wide variety of stalls selling art and craft items and hot food stalls are all on the grounds.
Plenty of toilets and we have free parking for everyone, EFTPOS will be available for gate entry.