Around 300 glbt people are expected to have filed in by midnight for New Year's celebrations at the 29th annual Vinegar Hill gay camp near Hunterville. It's not just locals in attendance – visitors have travelled from Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, Australia, Germany, England and Canada to be part of the affectionately nicknamed "camp camp". "It's definitely getting stronger and stronger," co-organiser Jenni James told the Manawatu Standard. "People just come here and they can chill out. People feel like this is their home over Christmas and New Year's." Planned festivities for the evening include musical performances, DJs, drag queen and king acts, and a Big Bonfire will blaze through the night. Gay campers have said Vinegar Hill is the perfect place to get away from it all, and a rare opportunity to chill out and not be in the minority for a change.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 31st December 2005 - 12:00pm