"Community events play an enormous role in bringing people together to celebrate our city, while showcasing everything Tauranga has to offer and encouraging economic development," Mr Crosby said.
"We had a huge response to our call for funding applications and narrowing them down to 10 wasn't an easy process due to the outstanding quality of the proposals. This is a reflection of the passion and motivation of our community to create inclusive, welcoming events for everyone."
Pip Loader, manager of strategic events at Tauranga City Council, said the judging panel focused on bringing a broader range of events alive to celebrate Tauranga's diversity.
"We wanted to bring inspiration and fresh vibes to Tauranga; events that will shape the heart and soul of our city," Ms Loader said.
"This year, we changed the funding criteria to help get new creative and innovative events off the ground and to showcase Tauranga's great places and spaces. We also wanted events that were inclusive and welcoming, so it was important that they were free or very low cost, family friendly and preferably without a major commercial component.
"We are looking forward to seeing these great community events happening in the coming weeks and months."
The Community Events Fund will reopen on 28 April 2016. Meanwhile Tauranga City Council's Strategic Events team is calling all organisations planning an event for young people to get in touch to talk about how Council might support them.
Contact Michaela Blackman, Events Delivery Coordinator, on 07 577 7000 or michaela.blackman@tauranga.govt.nz to make more made by youth, for youth-events happen.
