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All images © Sandy Coffey Photography
It’s a strange concept involving incredible logistics and heavy carrying. Still, in essence, Rotary St Francis organised and held 50 different parties over Friday and Saturday, with refreshments.
Without wishing to detract from the finesse and polished acts of some of the incredible wine stations over the Wine On Water weekend, each station involved strangers, a few groupings of friends and some old friends getting together, talking friendly chat and banter, some music, a few designated barge drivers, drinking wine, people enjoying the beauty of our environment and have a few snacks to go with it all. Isn’t that, in essence, what a party is?
Why 50?
There were 24 stations and the HQ, that is, The Quays and the event took place over two days, so 25 parties twice are 50 parties.
Wine On Water 2022 was 50 very cool parties, back-to-back, brought to us by Rotary St Francis. What a jol. Highlights were too many to mention. The barge with the Progressive House music blasting was one, stations 7 and 8 was a combined house party from De Grendel and Mt Vernon that was hard to leave, and Warwick had some excellent hamburgers going down at just the right time to soak up some of the grape juice. Eagles Nest at Big Time Taverna was fun, and the rest of the stations were all pumping, especially towards the end.
Anton Smit sculptures lit up the stations, and the gees and friendly vibes were quite a thing to experience.
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Strangers made friends with other strangers, old friends reunited for the first time in ages, some even in years, locals assisted at stations that were undermanned and under pressure (thanks, Shelley). But, all in, the vibe was just really relaxed.
As an inaugural event, Wine On Water 2022 shot the lights out, which is equally celebratory and problematic at the same time. Celebratory that a truly wonderful event was pulled off with complete success. Problematic in the fact that, where to from here? To up the game in 2023 will be a helluva thing, but I’m sure that the team who managed this year’s event has a few more tricks up their collective sleeve. Well done to Investec for having the vision to support this amazing event.
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For those that attended, that was awesome. Thanks for the good times. For those that didn’t participate, there’s always next year. For those two little kids who took my party back to The Quays in their little boat, despite us shouting and screaming at all and sundry and being as difficult as possible, you little champs!
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