Cromwell & Districts Promotion Group (CDPG) will be holding an AGM on Tuesday 29th October at 6.30pm at The Gate - Gentle Annie’s Function Room.
As a local, you may be asking “so what does the CDPG actually do?” Well if we may, a little bit about us.
“We are involved in a number of projects and activities throughout the year, to make Cromwell a great place to live, stay, and play,” says Caitlin Dykes, Acting Chair of CDPG. “Whilst we do our best to promote Cromwell, we may not always do the best job of promoting ourselves!” Caitlin adds with a smile.
The CDPG is behind many of the annual events that happen in Cromwell. “If you live here, chances are you’ve been to at least one of our events,” says Anthea Lawrence, the group’s Events Co-ordinator. “We host the much-loved Light Up Winter event in August, which has now become not only a local favourite, but also has grown interest and attendance from visitors across the country and even as far as Australia”. Anthea continues “We are currently gearing up for the exciting Cromwell Fireworks and Street Party event on Sunday 27th October, held each year in the Heritage Precinct on the Sunday of Labour Weekend; and summer isn’t quite the same without the Cherry Festival in December”.
To support these events, the CDPG introduced an annual Quiz Night with Peter Williams which has proven as a resounding success.
Over many years, the CDPG has been behind the promotion of a number of other events including The Cromwell Summer Series – which at its peak comprised of five sporting events giving athletes of all abilities the opportunity to get out and enjoy the beautiful local landscape including last weekend’s Cromwell Half Marathon attracting the highest number of entrants since pre-Covid. With this year’s Cromwell Summer Series evolving, the group is always seeking new events to bring visitors to town; so watch this space!
In addition to events, the CDPG manages the online content of a number of digital channels to promote the district via website and social media activities. The CDPG has also been instrumental in driving The Cromwell Compendium, a free-to-consumer glossy magazine-style publication targeted at visitors to the district. It is valuable promotional platform for local businesses and also available in e-format on the group’s page www.cromwell.org.nz
The Cromwell Compendium is distributed to accommodation houses, hospitality venues, retail & service outlets. Work on the 2025/2026 edition will be commencing soon. Parties interested in either advertising their local business or wishing to receive copies of the publication for visitor distribution, are asked to email communications@cromwell.org.nz for further information.
The CDPG is made up of a governing committee of volunteers and two part-time contractors, who are passionate about the town and its long term growth.
With the group’s AGM coming up on Tuesday 29th October at 6.30pm at The Gate, the CDPG welcomes interested parties to come along, meet the team and hear more about their activities.
“We are always looking for people with fresh ideas to join us in our collective efforts,” says Caitlin. “Even if you can’t commit to being on the committee, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved throughout the year.” To find out more about the Cromwell & Districts Promotion Group, please send an email to communications@cromwell.org.nz
