There are busy times ahead for Kawerau District Council, with two iconic events on again this year.

Kawerau Woodfest and National Woodskills Competition and the Kawerau King of the Mountain race are back thanks to support from the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT), which provided $69,000 in funding.

Kawerau District Council events and venues manager Lee Barton says NZCT’s generous grant covers the major infrastructure and attractions for these events.

“The National Woodskills Competition is the cornerstone attraction for Woodfest. It’s about the finer side of woodcraft, featuring, for example, furniture-making, sculpting and marquetry. NZCT hase awarded an additional grant to the Woodskills Trust.”

“Kawerau Woodfest encompasses all the outdoor attractions,” Lee says. “These are free for the public thanks to NZCT. We have many attractions that engage the local community and that’s a huge benefit. Kawerau Woodfest is about celebrating the town’s origins; it encompasses everything great about the forestry industry.”

Kawerau King of the Mountain is one of the district’s other major events. “This extreme mountain race is like the kaumatua of all the Kawerau events,” Lee says. “Thanks to NZCT’s grant we can engage with professional safety services and local volunteer groups to organise a perfect race day.”

Kawerau’s district councillors work hard to make Kawerau a desirable place to live and visit and mayor Malcolm Campbell says events play a vital part in this process.

“Kawerau has a growing reputation as a top events destination and our community is proud of that. The continuation of these major events helps maintain a level of positivity in the community and would not be possible without NZCT’s support.”

Kawerau Woodfest and National Woodskills Competition is on from September 22 - October 1, 2017. The Kawerau King of the Mountain is on October 28.