Tattoos, tequila and tai chi: Bloom in the Bay has it all

Tattoo artist is Bosch Bradley.

What do a tattoo artist, a tequila aficionado, sauna enthusiasts and a knife maker have in common?

They’re all involved with the Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival’s Bloom in the Bay event this weekend.

Bloom in the Bay will be held this Thursday through to Sunday at the festival hub on the water’s edge at The Strand in Tauranga.

The event includes a large selection of learning and entertainment opportunities, such as workshops and speaker sessions led by experts on gardening, art and other creative pursuits, sustainability and wellness.

Bloom in the Bay’s subject matter ranged from demonstrations covering the skill of knife-making to a workshop focused on tequila mixology. Discussion topics included waste minimisation, saving seeds, biosecurity, and predator-free solutions, and there would be an opportunity to try pottery making and flower arranging.

There would also be art on display, live music, food truck sustenance, a pop-up tattoo studio, and a dedicated wellness zone. The latter would include yoga, tai chi, breathwork, reiki and flower readings, facial sculpting, and sauna (and cold dip) opportunities.

The Sauna Project Papamoa with Kenrick Smith (left) and Gavin Bisman. Photo / Jackie O Photography

Festival director Marc Anderson said Bloom in the Bay would be a place for engaging and educational experiences – and fun and relaxation.

The waterfront activity would be a “fabulous addition” to the garden and art trail, which remained the integral part of the festival, Anderson said.

There would be more than 60 gardens in a trail of 79 garden and art stops, and about 80 artists taking part in the festival.

Anderson said artists would be displaying their works throughout various gardens and galleries.

He said there was guaranteed to be a lot of “wow” for art and garden lovers alike.

Entry to the Bloom in the Bay event is free for festival ticket holders and for those under 14-years-old. For non-ticket holders, entry costs $5.

To buy Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival tickets or to book a Bloom in the Bay event, visit www.gardenandartfestival.co.nz.