Hundredsof Bay youngsters celebrated their culture and heritage at a new festival yesterday.
The Pasifika Festival was held at Te Akau ki Papamoa and hosted children from 12 Western Bay of Plenty primary schools.
The event celebrated the strong Pacific Island culture in the Bay.
Casey Ireland, who is studying a Bachelor in Teaching for primary-aged children at Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, went with her class.
"We've been doing an essay in bi-cultural literacy and our teacher thought it would be a good idea to head along," she said. "It was good. It was really nice."