With a forecast set for 10 days of sunshine in Queenstown, we were confident this year’s QWA Members Christmas party was going to be a scorcher!
The luxury of rolling out of work and boarding buses from Appellation Wine Tours and Remarkable Experience, meant our members were able to relax and enjoy the evening sunshine whilst being driven out to the exciting new home of Cargo Brewery.
The luxury of rolling out of work and boarding buses from Appellation Wine Tours and Remarkable Experience, meant our members were able to relax and enjoy the evening sunshine whilst being driven out to the exciting new home of Cargo Brewery.
Cargo Brewery at Waitiri Creek is now operated by Malcolm and Meron Blakely. They created Cargo in 2015. “Cargo Brewery and Kitchen was born from a love of great beer, fantastic food and fun times with friends. Our experience of working with events throughout Queenstown has left us with a passion to create new and exciting experiences for our clients.”
Malcolm discovered brewing in 2014 and after many, many months managed to persuade Meron to be part of turning a 1971 Bedford TK into a mobile brewing and food truck. Meron, who happens to be a chef by trade, took on the challenge on the condition the food would be innovative, fresh and healthy.
Taking over Waitiri Creek in November they have great plans for the future! The QWA Christmas party meant members were lucky enough to be the first event out at the brewery and what a great event it was!
Jonathan Hart of Stretchtents brought out his magnificent 13 x 16 metre stretch tent which has the most amazing auditorium like feel! The Providing shade and a fabulous extension of the brewery space, Stretch Tents offer the latest technology MultiStretchFR™ ‘bedouin style’ freeform tents, marquees and canopies, also known as Nomadic Tents.
Stretch Tents can be erected as freestanding structures or off existing buildings as a canopy rig! Their flexible fabric and rigging system allows them to create eye catching shapes that will make your event one to remember! If a traditional marquee won’t work, a stretch tent probably will.
Beautiful wooden trestle tables are also available to hire from Stretchtents Queenstown and were kindly styled by the beautiful Steph from Queenstown Wedding Hire with linen from our favourite linen ladies, Pacific Linen, who have a fabulous new range of gorgeous linen in stone, navy and neutral!
At this years party we revealed the newest marketing tool that we are hoping will make everyones lives better when it comes to social media!
#QWAMember
Our friends at Speedy Signs made us the most awesome banner to launch our new hashtag # – this way, every image posted on social media can be found easily to share and repost!
Also housed under the Tent was the evenings famous entertainer, James Reid from The Feelers, who serenaded us with his soulful sounds and gave the members a real treat by performing some of his originals and covering some of our all-time favourite greats! With audio equipment kindly sponsored by Sam Ross from Remarkable Audio, Sam is also the base player for The Feelers (but unfortunately got called away up North last minute to perform.)
Newest QWA members Break One brought out some of their big boys toys, including their laser clay target shooting (somewhat safer than their Beretta 12 gauge semi-automatic shotguns) and their archery – fabulous entertainment for all ages! Just a couple of activities from the rather extensive list of what they offer, our members got straight into it, having shoot offs between work mates and enjoying the challenge!
Break One love to share their passion for Clay Target Shooting and this is evident in their awesome trips which they can tailor to each specific group, with complimentary return transport from Queenstown, you won’t be disappointed – or like us, perhaps you can ask them to come to you?!
Everyone’s favourite magical memory making machine always adds the paazz to the party! The Amazing Travelling Photobooth came this year complete with ‘the love seat’ and boasted the best laughs with funny faces, peculiar props and mega member collaborations! No party is complete without the ‘ringing bell’ and a quick pose – and a photo strip to take home and mount on the fridge!!!
Without award winning local photographer Dan Childs capturing the highlights, excitement and the last laughs we wouldn’t have been able to portray the ambience of the evening! Dan is the man who never misses an opportunity to capture the tiny details, the stunning scenery and all with the most infectious smile on his face! It’s always so lovely to see our members catching up, old and new, and Dan got some gorgeous shots of everyone enjoying themselves!
Whipping up a storm was Laura Douglas from Real Country! Laura also joined the QWA just last month and has launched her business to showcase ‘how to be a true southern girl!’ Bringing some of her beautifully handmade leather stock whips out to the party, she gave tution on how to really crack the whip – a lot harder than it first appears as many of our members will tell you! Based out in Kingston, at a unique location (a pretty pimped out Mai Mai) Real Country is exactly what it says on the tin!
Pick Me Lick Me popsicle tricycle rocked up to be the cool kid in town! Their hand crafted products from different suppliers around the country are healthy, dairy free, gluten free, made with natural ingredients, real fresh fruit, mighty coconut cream, and are organic!
Fun for the kids and adults, everyone loved their deserts and the awesome tricycle meant Amy could peddle in, out and around Waitiri Creek, as she can at any venue!
Raising over $1,500 in vouchers for our chosen local charities Baskets of Blessings and Hapiness house, we all waited in anticipation to find out who won the big prizes, The Bloom Christmas table decoration went to Jodie from A Womans Touch, luckily the Helicopter flight didn’t go to a celebrant or a photographer (hehe) but the lovely Melissa from Cherry Blossom cakes and… drum role please…. The night stay at Azur Lodge with all the trimmings went to the gorgeous Nery from Trelawn Place!
As the sun lowered in the sky and the heat finally gave way to a cool breeze, our members enjoyed music, food and beverages whilst catching up – what more could you ask for from another awesome QWA event!
Thank you to all of our sponsors that made this complimentary event happen – we wouldn’t be able to do it without our kind hospitality and generosity!
If you would like to be a sponsor for one of our upcoming events, please email Hayley on [email protected]
