People in the Central Otago town of Alexandra have voted overwhelmingly to continue running the annual blossom festival.
Organisers had threatened to drop the event following major financial losses.
At a meeting on Wednesday night, a majority of the 500 residents supported the use of ratepayers' money to underwrite the festival.
A new event manager was appointed, and people at the meeting urged organisers to get back to basics by dropping big out-of-town music acts and expensive staging, in favour of a more traditional approach.
The use of public money will be voted on at a council community board meeting this month.
