Megastars share Xmas spirit

Hollie Smith and Tiki for the cover of Vibe Astrolabe bar Mount Maunganui.

The community reaps the benefits when mega-stars like Tiki Taane and Hollie Smith make Bay of Plenty their home.

Papamoa resident Tiki and new-to-Mount Maunganui Hollie have put their hands up to headline (along with Anika Moa and Anna Coddington) the massive Christmas in the Park event, destined for Blake Park on December 21. Entry is just a gold coin donation.

The two friends are extremely busy with their careers. "Out of the 20 or so things I get asked to do every week, I try to find time to do at least one or two things for the community, this was definitely one,'' Tiki says.

Three years ago, community-minded couple Rachelle and Chris Duffy asked Tiki to perform at their Little Big Markets Christmas event, and he agreed straight away. He's performed there ever since, and jumped at the chance to perform and MC the special "Christmas in the Park'' event.

He also recruited Hollie and Anika "We couldn't have done it without Tiki,'' Chris says.
Hollie moved to Mount Maunganui in March. She's been getting recognised more often around town, and gets "lots of double-takes''. Both Hollie and Tiki have children starting school next year locally (Hollie's boy Taimana and Tiki's boy Charlie).

"We both have kids who will be starting school here now so we are really keen to support the community they will be growing up in,'' Hollie says.

A gold coin donation will get people into the festive event which includes a star line-up of Tiki Taane, Hollie Smith, Anna Coddington and Anika Moa.

Rachelle and Chris Duffy would like to encourage people to also bring a non-perishable food item to donate to Tauranga Foodbank as well as a Christmas present (marked for a boy or girl, and age group) for Tauranga Women's Refuge and Homes of Hope.

The gold coin donation goes to Kea Charitable Trust.

Rachelle also encourages people to be there at the 2 pm event opening as "something pretty amazing'' will be happening.

The event also includes Tauranga singer Jessie Matthews, Tauranga Samba Group, kapa haka and Free Lunch Street Theatre Group, stalls from the Little Big Markets and Night Owl cinema, as well as a children's carnival.

Christmas in the Park is at Blake Park from 2-10 pm.