The Tauranga Arts Festival also added some vibrancy to the weekend.
The waterfront was crowded with people yesterday afternoon.
People queued for more than half an hour to see inside the Arboria - but clear skies and a cool breeze made even the wait pleasant.
As usual, kids climbed all over the Hairy Maclary statues while parents looked on and enjoyed some of the first of the summer weather.
It's always good to see the city busy. It makes it a vibrant and interesting place to be.
Despite even Saturday's rain it was busy in the CBD with people drawn in by the ANZ Community Day.
More than 800 people were estimated to have braved the weather to go to the event.
The Dry Dock Cafe's owner Sandra Johnson said the place was packed for about four hours with families coming in for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party to celebrate 150 years of Alice in Wonderland.
On top of that, many of the weekend's Arts Festival performances were sold out.
"We need to have more of these things. We need to have more planned events," Ms Johnson told the Bay of Plenty Times after the tea party.
And I agree.
The turnout for events so far show there is demand.
The region's beaches and the weather draw some people in but events not only attract visitors but coax locals out to enjoy their city.
When it is busy, a walk along the waterfront becomes more than just a stroll with a nice view of the harbour. Having so many folk around also provides an excellent chance for some people watching.
Whether it's intentional or not, we all do it.
