Winterfest Teddy Bears

Monday 26 June 2006

TEDDY BEARS, GREAT FOOD, CABIN CREW MAYHEM AND WHISKEY – JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE LINDAUER QUEENSTOWN WINTER FESTIVAL

A magical start to today saw tots and their favourite teddies go on a magical journey through the pine trees to the Skyline Gondola building for the Skyline Teddy Bears Picnic.

Quilly the Clown and special guest TV presenter Jane Keily hosted over 50 animated young children as they enjoyed stories and playtime. The littlies apparently decided the picnic is no longer restricted to teddy bears, so this year Kiwis, sharks, dogs and even a Cookie Bear made appearances.   

Getting creative in the Queenstown Resort College kitchen with his QRC Quick Smart Mediterranean Cooking Class was celebrated chef Ray McVinnie. Cooking up a storm with tasty dishes including succulent homemade pork sausages with zucchini and eggplant salad and a winter pesto of parsley and walnut sauce, tasty ‘Roman Chicken’ with lentils and a calorific but divine French chocolate cake with peach semi-freddo, tomorrow’s session at the same time is sure to be a hit.

Showing their fun side, participants in the World Cabin Crew Alpine Challenge were   10 teams of two made up from cabin crew members and other travel industry members from throughout New Zealand and Australia. 

They went from a blind-folded make up mayhem, to trolley races, drinks delivery and eating a cold lunch concoction in Earnslaw Park, before heading up to Coronet Peak to create more havoc on the mountain.  Tamra Sharp and Nikki Mennel from Virgin Blue Airlines won the people’s choice prize by impressing the judges and public with their snowmaking and PA announcement skills, however the official winners were Glen Osborne and Matua Parkinson from Maori TV who won on their innovative and hilarious approach to each of the tasks.

This afternoon’s International Whiskey Tasting Experience in association with Sofitel Queenstown gave whiskey lovers and novice quaffers the chance to get intimate with the world's finest whiskeys. The intimate hour-and-a-half long whiskey tasting event, showcasing Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, Chivas Regal from Scotland and Wild Turkey Bourbon from the USA was a sell-out, giving participants the chance to sniff, swirl and slurp to their heart’s content. The new event was so popular that two more have been added to the schedule.

The Lindauer Queenstown Winter Festival is home of the Southern Hemisphere's ultimate winter celebration and runs from June 23 to July 2.

The festival continues tomorrow (Tuesday 27 June) with Lindauer Stars on Snow, the MacTodd Seniors Luncheon and the eagerly anticipated Telecom Mardi Gras and Mayhem Community Street Parade.

For further media information or images please contact:

Mary Todd

Media Liaison

Phone: 03 441 2453 or 027 477 9394

Email: mary@winterfestival.co.nz