What's on offer this New Year's Eve in the Bay

There's plenty of fun on offer in the Bay this New Year's Eve. Photo / File

New Year's Eve community celebrations in Tauranga
Residents are invited to welcome in 2019 at family-friendly events in their local community in the central city, Pāpāmoa and Matua.

There will be entertainment and a special fireworks countdown at 9.30pm for little ones who can't make it through to midnight. Traditional midnight fireworks will be launched from various locations and can be seen across large parts of the city. Residents and visitors are invited to watch them from their deck or backyard, ideally from a slightly elevated point.

CBD New Year's Eve celebration
Family-friendly entertainment including a Mayor's BBQ with free sausages, roving performers, live music and even a visit from Batman in his Batmobile will see the central city waterfront come alive. The celebration starts at 6pm, finishing at 9.30pm with fireworks.

Residents and visitors are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy the celebration with the local
community. Food stalls will be offering a great variety of dinner options complementing the many great restaurants on The Strand.

A full road closure will be in place from 2pm on December 31 to 2am on January 1 on The Strand, from Devonport Rd roundabout down to Harington St roundabout
to ensure a safe event. Both roundabouts will be open to allow traffic flows. There will be no vehicle access to The Strand via Hamilton and Wharf Sts. Parking on The Strand will be
restricted from 6am on 31 December until 8am on 1 January.

Parking buildings and off-street car parks are free after 3pm and open 24/7. Access for
deliveries and residents will be possible during the road closure, to ensure minimal
disruption. Car parking is available for mobility cardholders in the waterfront car park.
This event takes place within a permanent alcohol-free area to ensure a safe and community friendly atmosphere.
Find out more at www.tauranga.govt.nz/CBD

Pāpāmoa's New Year's Eve community celebration
Pāpāmoa's residents are invited to celebrate New Year's Eve with their neighbours at
Gordon Spratt Reserve in Pāpāmoa. The all-ages entertainment includes kids' rides, music,
games, roving performers, yummy street food, pony rides and a petting zoo. The event kicks off at 6pm, finishing with fireworks at the kids-friendly time of 9.30pm.

The event, tailored for the local community, encourages all attendees to come by bike,
walking or sharing a ride down to Gordon Spratt Reserve. Car parking is available for mobility cardholders in the main car parking area. People are invited to bring a picnic or choose from the variety of food stalls on offer at the event.

This event takes place within a permanent and temporarily extended alcohol-free area to
ensure a safe and community friendly atmosphere.

Find out more at www.tauranga.govt.nz/papamoa

Matua's New Year's Eve community celebration
This year, the council will bring the community celebration for the first time to Fergusson Park.

Otumoetai and Matua locals are invited to come together and enjoy the early-evening
entertainment including kids' rides, music, Frozen characters, yummy street food and even a visit from Batman in his Batmobile in their neighbourhood. The night will be topped off with fireworks at 9.30pm.

Due to limited general parking, we encourage travelling by bike, walking or sharing a ride
down to Fergusson Park. Car parking is available for mobility cardholders in the main car
parking area.

People are invited to bring a picnic or choose from the variety of food stalls on offer at the
event.

To enhance safe community celebrations in Matua, Fergusson Park will become a temporary alcohol-free area from 10am on Monday, December 31 to 6am on Tuesday,
January 1.

All three community events are alcohol- and smoke-free events. Water refill stations will be onsite for everyone to refill a bottle and stay hydrated.

New Year's Eve enhanced safety measures at Mount Maunganui
On New Year's Eve, Tauranga City Council, NZ Police and other key organisations will
continue to work together towards a safer environment for Tauranga's residents and visitors.

There will be no public organised event at Mount Maunganui Main Beach again this year and the council will continue with the implemented changes already made for New Year's Eve.