A GoPro camera is seen on a skier's helmet as he rides down the slopes in the ski resort of Meribel, French Alps, January 7, 2014. Michael Schumacher's wife appealed to the media on Tuesday to leave the French hospital of Grenoble they have stak
IN PHOTO: A GoPro camera is seen on a skier's helmet as he rides down the slopes in the ski resort of Meribel, French Alps, January 7, 2014. Michael Schumacher's wife appealed to the media on Tuesday to leave the French hospital of Grenoble they have staked out since the German was critically injured in a skiing accident nine days ago and to let the doctors do their job. Formula One champion Michael Schumacher suffered brain injuries in a skiing accident in the French Alps resort of Meribel on last December 29, 2013. Reuters/Emmanuel Foudrot

Queenstown's Winter Festival -- the southern hemisphere's biggest winter celebration is underway in New Zealand. The 10-day extravaganza was opened on Friday evening by Prime Minister John Key and features and array of street parties, fireworks, international and local acts and mountain mayhem. The fireworks display over Lake Wakatipu marked the official start of the festival with the crowd cheering lustily.

The ceremony was followed by American Express opening party and Fireworks and a Spark Digital business lunch held at the Skyline Restaurant. The Queenstown Winter generates over NZ$55 million for the local economy and is famous as the world’s top ten "must see" festivals. The opening party and fireworks attracted more than 10,000 lakeside festival goers.

Arrival Of Winter

The festival will conclude on June 28th and is packed with 50 individual events in the surrounding mountains and town centre. About 45,000 people are expected to celebrate the arrival of winter. The festival welcomes the start of the winter ski season. Thanks to a big storm, this year the South Island is already dumped with more than a metre of snow on upper slopes of ski areas just in time for the festival.

The inauguration was made musical with the performance of six street musicians selected through on online vote -- the Toyota Global Street Band -- and travelled all the way to Queenstown for the opening event. "The musicians from all over the world represented the international spirit that makes Queenstown so unique and so successful," festival manager Lisa Buckingham said. After the fireworks the crowds were kept entertained by New Zealand’s own darlings Margret Urlich, Debbie Harwood and Annie Crummer from “When the Cat’s Away.”

Festival Parade

Queenstown is famous for adrenalin-pumping activities and the festival’s opening saw the best of it. There was the local community’s ecstatic participation in the 41st Queenstown Winter Festival parade. Children from local schools walked trash monsters, worms and walking trees. The enthusiastic crowd had scouts, guides, ice skaters, hockey players and cyclists. Joining them were jet boats and local adventure businesses competing for the best business float. Prior to the parade, runners donned suits and spandex to run a "Golden Mile" led by local MP Todd Barclay.

(For feedback/comments, contact the writer at k.kumar@ibtimes.com.au)

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