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In the heart of Central Otago, Alexandra is experiencing a winter of extreme temperatures. At the Alexandra Musical Society Auditions, people are auditioning for singing and dance parts. Debbie Vercoe is a singer who is singing at a wedding that afternoon. Donny Maclean is trying to keep sheep alive in the snow.
Bert Kemp is helping make the Team Fruitlands Float. Jo Grayling says the whole community is on board helping to make the float. Earnsy Weaver talks about the problems as an cherry orchardist with the weather. The Catholic Parish Floatmakers are preparing their float, making flowers. Joan Hastie says they are inspired by American rose parade floats. Gert Breen is patiently making flowers, then Gary tries his hand.
Bill Hinchey is a gold miner, and hands Gary a large specimen. The machines are mining the outwash from the original old gold mining deposits that they worked. Bill is still doing a bit of farming as well. John Taylor is a 4th-generation orchardist, and his ancestors had a ready market with the miners. At the local school Gary talks to two school girls who will be princesses on the float: Gabrielle Hinchey, Daughter of Bill, and Julie Soper. At Clyde Dam, Gary talks to one of the makers of the Thunderbird II float, Tony McAuliffe, E.C.N.Z. Float. Fooage of ‘The 1st Alexandra Blossom Festival, 1957’. Joan Botting was on one of the original floats and is involved with the current festival. Isabel Symons, her mother, has been involved for 36 years doing the afternoon teas. Daughter Kathleen Symons will be looking after the princesses. At the Musical Society rehearsals continue. Bruce Martin says that the community is small but there is some wonderful talent.
The festival princesses are interviewed. Leda Grayling of Team Fruitlands talks about the highlight of the festival. Renata Sleeman talks about her hobbies. At Earnscleugh Station, work is going on in the shearing shed. Alistair Campbell, Station Owner, talks about the marino breed of sheep and how they are suited to the area. Mana Te Whata talks about the art of marino shearing. Russell Duncan talks about the large volume to sheep the gang gets through. The station house is a mansion, and has a great view of the farm. The farm has an ongoing problem with the rabbit population, which is kept down with four full-time men. Preparations are ongoing with the Winter Sports Club’s Float, which is based on the Lion King. The Alexandra Kindergarten float is being prepared: Chrissy Parker explains the float’s theme of the rabbit which could be controversial in this district.
A sheep is lambed by a farmer Bill Hinchey, whose family has been on this property for 105 years. Prudence Hinchey helps her daughter prepare as a Princess. Preparations are being made to get ready for the cocktail, for judging by the Winter Sports Princess. Sharleen Hayward has reigned as Princess for the last year, and gives advice for this year’s princesses. A large crowd attends the cocktail party. Blossom festival King is interviewed.
At Opening night of the Musical Society performance, preparations are taking place, then the performance takes place. On Festival Parade Day people are enjoying the big day. The floats are lined up and ready, then the big parade begins down the main street of the colourful floats. Afterwards the princesses are having afternoon tea and wait for the votes to decide the winner. The winning float prize goes to the Winter Sports float, and the runner up Princess is Gabrielle Hinchey. The festival Queen is Leda Grayling.