Queen Carnival - Origin and Purpose

Origin and Purpose

Initially the Queen Carnivals were organised by William Lints of New Plymouth to raise funds for a variety of purposes, and during World War 1 particularly funds for the wounded soldiers returning home. During the inter war period Queen Carnivals were held to raise fund for worthy community causes. Often funding sporting facilities or community buildings and services. The carnivals included elements of Talent shows, Fancy dress, Sport and the sale of local produce, with a focus on electing a queen of the carnival. Votes were cast for each candidate and the winner was pronounced queen in a coronation ceremony at the end of the carnival.

Newspaper reports in 1914 indicated that they had been held in Whanganui and New Plymouth, with Fielding and Tauranga also considering holding them. After the Auckland carnival criticism was laid at Lints over the cost of the event and the lack of money going to the events beneficiaries. The lack of funds raised may have been Lints' initial inexperience as later events were reported as raising thousands of pounds. Certainly Lints received payment for his efforts.

In February 1915 Lints was reported as going to Bathurst and Albury in Australia to organise similar events, but was still in Nelson in March and reported as organising another in Gisborne in April. The Australian event occurred later that year. Queen Carnivals were held various towns and cities around the country.

Lints was advertising another carnival in Whanganui in October 1915 for commencement in December 1915. He followed this with a similar event in Nelson in 1916. The focus of these events had now become fund raising for returned soldiers.

It appears that even as early as 1915, individual towns and organisations were putting on their own Queen carnivals. The Queen Carnival tradition has been carried to other countries, including Fiji and Malta.