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Katikati set to turn blue

Katikati is set for a sea of blue next month as locals are encouraged to dress up and take part in the free HUME 5km/10km Fun Run/Walk on Saturday 4 July, with a postponement date of Saturday 18 July (if required).Starting and finishing at the Katikati War Memorial Hall, the event is open to all ages and abilities, with 5km and 10km walk and run options designed to get the whole community involved.Hosted by HUME Pack-N-Cool, the event began as part of the business’s 40th anniversary celebratio...

Katikati skatepark set to shine with youth-led street art

Katikati is getting ready to celebrate a major new addition to its skatepark, with a community art reveal event planned to unveil a bold, youth-led street artwork at Katikati Skatepark.The reveal is planned for 28 June and will mark the completion of a mural created with local rangatahi alongside artist Kalib Wallace. Bringing together young people, families and the wider community to celebrate a space shaped by the voices of those who use it most.Peri St John-Ives, Arts Coordinator and Gallery ...

Backing standout community events

Some of the region’s most recognised events will continue to deliver high-quality experiences for the community, alongside a wide mix of grassroots and first-time events, thanks to the latest funding round of the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund.Over $200,000 has been granted to 23 upcoming events across Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty. The fund continues to support well-established events such as the 2026 Zespri AIMS Games and the Tauranga Primary Schools’ Music Festival, which ...

The Big Sing celebrates youth voices

Tauranga is set to come alive with the sound of young voices as The Big Sing: Waikato–Bay of Plenty Regional Festival returns to the city on Thursday, 11 June 2026.Hosted at Holy Trinity Tauranga, the festival will see around 27 choirs from 16 secondary schools gather for a day of inspiring performances, finishing with a public Gala Concert at 7:00pm.The Big Sing is New Zealand’s largest secondary schools’ choral festival, involving more than 8,000 students nationwide and attracting audien...

A Bay of Plenty story told through music: The Journey of Mataatua comes to Baycourt

A powerful local story of identity, loss and healing will be brought to life through live orchestral music when Opus Orchestra performs The Journey of Mataatua in Tauranga this May.Taking place at Baycourt Community & Arts Centre on the afternoon of Saturday 16 May 2026, the performance invites audiences to engage with a deeply meaningful Bay of Plenty story, told through music by the region’s professional orchestra.The Journey of Mataatua is a concert opera by Dame Gillian Karawe Whitehea...

Elite netball takes centre court in Tauranga

Tauranga will host two ANZ Premiership fixtures at Mercury Baypark this season. Giving local fans the chance to see elite netball up close when the Avis Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic take on both the Mystics and Southern Steel.The first match sees the Avis Magic take on the Mystics for one of the most anticipated games of the season as they battle for the Hobbiton Cup on Saturday 18 April . The second game will bring the Avis Magic back to town on Saturday 9 May to verse the Southern Steel.Centre ...

Over $1 million available as Community Event Fund extended

Community events across Tauranga and the Western Bay are set to thrive, with the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund confirmed for another three years and more than $1 million available in funding for the 2026–2027 period.The Fund’s five funding partners, Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT, and Western Bay of Plenty District Council have reaffirmed their shared commitment through this strong partnership model, working together to achieve greater...

Carols at Haiku – A festive celebration for the Katikati community

The sound of Christmas will fill the air at Haiku Reserve on Saturday 13 December 2025, as the Katikati Concert Band hosts their second Carols at Haiku event from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.Carols at Haiku was first introduced in 2023 as a way for the band to give back to the community. With no similar outdoor Christmas concert in Katikati at the time, the band chose the picturesque Haiku Reserve to create a relaxed summer atmosphere where families and friends could gather, enjoy festive music, and sing a...

Local events celebrating culture, creativity and community

A jam-packed line-up of festivals, food, music and family fun is about to hit the Tauranga and Western Bay region – and there truly is something for everyone. Nineteen local events have secured a share of $164,600 through the latest round of the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund.From vibrant cultural festivals and outdoor adventures to live performances and foodie favourites, the collaborative fund helps create more chances for locals and visitors to connect, try something new and cele...

Cultivating vibrant community events across the Western Bay

A diverse range of events for all ages and interests have received support in the recent funding round of the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund. A total of $297,000 was granted to 40 new and regular community-led events with the fund focused on supporting events that enrich the local community through active participation and inclusion.The Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) was established to support and enhance local events ensuring both locals and visitors have a broad ...

Mānawatia a Matariki — Happy Māori New Year

As Te Kāhui o Matariki, the Matariki star cluster, signals the arrival of the Māori New Year,  local tangata whenua and community groups share opportunities for us to celebrate and come together.Matariki is a time to reflect, celebrate our history and look to the future. To celebrate the magic of Matariki across this year, the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) is supporting four events across the rohe.The events welcome all age groups and aim to build understanding of te ...

Festival of Disability Sport celebrates all abilities this May

Festival of Disability Sport celebrates all abilities this MayThe Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport is an inclusive celebration of adaptive sports taking place this May in Tauranga.The festival brings together physically disabled athletes from across New Zealand and celebrates ability at all levels across a range of sports.Held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May 2025, the event will take place across three venues. Mercury Baypark Arena sees a two-day Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Bas...

Celebrating a successful year with more events than ever

The 2024/25 funding year for the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) saw 99 events funded throughout the region.With 31 events held in the Western Bay and 68 in Tauranga, the fund continues to provide a diverse range of community-focused opportunities across the region.A total of $966,461 was funded in the 2024/25 funding year, with grants ranging from $1,600 to $35,000. The average grant amount was $9,762 with community volunteering a strong feature in keeping events affordable.E...

Jingle bells are set to ring throughout Tauranga and the Western Bay.

2023 Omokoroa Carols in the Park (Photo supplied)...

Multicultural Tauranga and Ngāi Te Rangi to host third annual pōhiri for migrants

First groundbreaking pōhiri at Whareroa Marae in 2021 (Photo by Katie Cox)...

Endless local community events to choose from

Photo Supplied: Mount Monster 2023...

Tauranga Moana again hosts Toi Kiri: Indigenous Arts Festival

The rich tapestry of indigenous cultures from around the globe will again be on full display as Tauranga Moana hosts Toi Kiri: Indigenous Arts Festival, a skin-marking and artist event celebrating indigenous traditional body marking, with Māori leading the revival. Toi Kiri: Indigenous Arts Festival will take place from 18th to 21st October at Whareroa Marae and Reserve, featuring up to 20 cultural nations from across the globe.The festival will bring together artists, storytellers, musicians, ...

Pacific vibrancy coming to Katikati

The vibrant colours, rhythmic beats, and rich cultural traditions of the Pacific Islands are set to invigorate Katikati as the highly anticipated Pasifika Festival in the Bay event returns on Saturday, 2 November 2024. This festival celebrates the unique cultures of the Pacific Islands through dance and food, with a focus on the younger generation.2024 will see the festival celebrate a decade of success with 35 performing groups from schools around the Bay set to perform at Katikati College. Gro...

Festival inspires climate action

Photo Supplied: Climate Action Festival Clothes Swap at 2023 Festival....

Pickleball fever sweeps Mount Maunganui

Photo Supplied: Mount Pickleball Club Coach, Paul Cubitt at the 2023 Mount Pickleball Classic....

67 years of musical magic from local schools

Arts and culture are often considered an add-on, not a core curriculum subject. However, being exposed to the arts through singing and performing can be one of young children's most magical and joyful experiences.The Tauranga Primary Schools Music Festival is returning for its 67th year to provide local Tauranga and Western Bay primary and intermediate students the opportunity to experience the magic of performing onstage. Across five nights at Baycourt’s Addison Theatre, students from all ove...

Funding secured for community events

Photo: EVES Surfbreaker Triathlon 2023...

Cyclocross arrives in Western Bay of Plenty

Cyclocross course test run at Summerhill Mountainbike Park ahead of the upcoming events in July 2024. Photo supplied, captured by Sam Cameron. ...

Community collaboration for Katikati Matariki Dawn Service

In celebration of Matariki, Te Rūnanga o Ngai Tamawhariua, Katch Katikati, Katikati Community Centre, Project Parore, Western Bay Museum Te Rereatukahia Marae, Katikati Red Cross and Katikati Rotary Club are hosting a dawn service to reflect on the past, celebrate the present and prepare for the future.  Matariki marks the start of the Māori New Year, signified by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in the night sky. It is a time to remember those who are no longer with us. A time w...

Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund gets new look

The Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) was created by five local funders (Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT, and Western Bay of Plenty District Council) to provide a more streamlined application process in seeking funding for community events. The joint fund enables event organisers to make a single funding application to a single funding pool, reducing the administrative burden in securing event funding.In its third year of funding local community events, t...