Donate your gadgets at Samsung's e-waste collection days. Photo / Connor Crawford
October has arrived, bringing Tāmaki Makaurau out of winter hibernation and filling the local event calendar with oodles of events, the best of which we’ve collated here.
There’s plenty to keep the kids entertained for the second week of the holidays including an abundance of children’s theatre, plus there’s a groovy weekend market, a call to clear out your old electronics, a living legend performing live, Auckland City’s annual Art Week and lots more.
It’s hard to imagine a better vibe to start your weekend with than those you’ll find at Freida’s monthly market. The first Saturday of the month, Grey Lynn’s cosy wine bar rouses earlier than usual to host a quirky market packed with preloved clothes, vintage finds, vinyl, ceramics, crafts, jewellery, plants and flowers, baked goods and other treats. There are always good tunes being spun on the decks and a festive, friendly atmosphere to put you in a good mood for the remainder of your weekend.
When: October 5, 10am-1pm.
Where: 440 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland.
Price: FREE.
It’s spring-cleaning season and the perfect time to get rid of all those old electronic devices that are tangled up in redundant cables collecting dust. Instead of sending them to landfill, take them along to the Samsung drive-through e-waste days this Saturday and next and they’ll take them off your hands for free. During their last event in May, they diverted 41.6 tonnes of e-waste from landfill which is a remarkable achievement no doubt in part due to the almost effortless system they have in place in which staff collect the e-waste directly from your car without you even having to get unbuckled. They also offer a $50 Samsung voucher to everyone who brings something in. The event is run in collaboration with Echo, Aotearoa’s largest e-waste disposal company, and this weekend will be hosted at Eden Park, the following weekend at Samsung’s Head Office. Marie Kondo those electronics this weekend out of whatever cupboard, drawer or junk space they’ve been relegated to and find joy in decluttering.
When: October 5, 9am-3pm, and October 12, 9am-3pm.
Where: Eden Park, Gate G, entry via Sandringham Rd, Kingsland. Samsung New Zealand Head Office, 24 The Warehouse Way, Northcote.
Price: FREE.
It’s more than halfway through the Barfoot & Thompson season of Matilda the Musical at Bruce Mason Centre and if you haven’t seen these revolting - and uber-talented - children (and adults) perform their hearts out in Tim Minchin’s masterpiece yet then you’ve got one more week to make that happen. Encore Theatre Collective, North Shore Music Theatre and the Amici Trust joined forces to bring this production to the stage here in Tāmaki Makaurau and they’ve done a smashing job. It’s all singing, all dancing, some swinging and some gender-bending from George Keenan-Davies as the terrifying and hilarious Mrs Trunchbull. If you’re going to an evening show with young kids, it’s a bit of a late night, but what are school holidays for if not late nights, lazy mornings and musical theatre.
When: On now until October 13.
Where: Bruce Mason Centre, The Promenade, Takapuna, Auckland.
Price: Tickets start from $60.60 + booking fees from ticketmaster.co.nz
As you roll into the second week of the school holidays, your house has probably been trashed, your life force sucked right out of you. What caregivers need now is a solid plan for entertainment. There’s still one more week of public shows for Tim Bray Theatre Company’s production of Mrs Wishy-Washy at The Pumphouse Theatre and paired with a picnic and a play by the lake, you can get a good half-day’s entertainment - if not more - out of it. Based on the classic Joy Cowley book series, Mrs Wishy-Washy is silly and fun and perfect for primary-aged children and preschoolers. There are two shows a day except Sundays and the shows are a succinct 50-60 minutes, manageable by even the most wriggly and fidgety little audience members.
When: Daily until October 12, 10.30am and 1pm (no performances Sunday).
Where: The Pumphouse Theatre, Killarney Park, Takapuna, Auckland.
Price: Tickets start at $28 + booking fees from pumphouse.co.nz
Little old Tāmaki Makaurau has hosted a world first this week: a supermarket for bees. As we’ve all been made aware over the last few years, bees are vital to our ecosystem. They’re responsible for pollinating 70% of crops that we humans eat and numbers are falling. Woolworths and Bees Up Top have joined forces these school holidays to create a supermarket for bees at Ambury Farm that closes this Sunday. Visitors can wander through the aisles of bee-friendly plants - preferably not barefoot - and take part in a scavenger hunt. There are goodie bags to take home and experts on hand to teach you all about the bee crisis and the ways in which you can help the population of pollinators stay plentiful.
When: Until October 6, 10am - 3pm.
Where: Ambury Farm, 43 Ambury Rd, Māngere Bridge, Auckland.
Price: Free but bookings preferred at woolworths.co.nz/shop/content/woolworths-for-bees
Art Week officially began its transformation of Auckland City into a thriving arts centre on Friday and over the coming week there are more than 70 events, exhibitions, installations and more taking place all over the city centre. Each night Te Ara I Whiti - The Lightpath will be illuminated by the work of artist Shannon Novak and iion that intends to evoke happiness. The laneways are covered in public artworks including sculpture, painting, design and digital art, and Viaduct Harbour hosts Bloom by Angus Muir and Harris Keenan. There are free guided art walks throughout the week and Late Night Art on Thursday sees the galleries open after dark, an art market on High Street and roaming street performers among other pop-up events. Each year, Heart of the City and Auckland Council’s Art Week gets more ambitious, gives New Zealand artists a much-needed platform to share their work and turns Tāmaki Makaurau into a more vibrant, world-class city. Don’t miss the opportunity to see our city centre buzzing with creative energy this week.
When: October 4 - 13.
Where: Various locations around Auckland City.
Price: Visit heartofthecity.co.nz for more information.
Most parents keep a trip to Auckland Museum in their school holiday arsenal but these holidays you can up the ante by taking the tamariki along to a Night at Auckland Museum: Time Warp evening. Hosted by eccentric time traveller Dr. When and his sidekick, Dodo, guests are invited to bring a torch and explore the museum after dark. Along the way, you’ll come across interactive theatre, games and hands-on activities including woodblock printmaking and piecing together dinosaur skeletons. Access to the Relics: A New World Rises Lego exhibit is included in the ticket price and the Tuitui Cafe & Bistro will be open so you can keep young bellies full and spirits high.
When: October 9, 10 and 11, 6.30pm-9pm (doors open 5.30pm).
Where: Auckland Museum, Auckland Domain, Parnell, Auckland.
Price: Tickets $40 from aucklandmuseum.com, door sales $45 (if available).
The Whangārei Fringe festival runs throughout the school holidays, and it’s the perfect excuse for a little roadie north for a day or three. It’s got a hugely varied programme which includes over 110 events of all kinds such as theatre, music, comedy, cabaret, art, digital technology, circus and workshops. The festival is committed to supporting local artists and providing accessible arts events for the community, which is why over half of the performers are local to Te Tai Tokerau, and there are plenty of free or koha entry events as well. Also on the programme are comedian Kura Forrester, choreographer and performer Liv Tennet and, – performing in comedy dance show The Children of Sacred Valley – everyone’s favourite snack master, Tom Sainsbury. For the first time, the festival has a big-top circus tent to house the many circus, cabaret and burlesque shows and, don’t worry, there are plenty of whānau-friendly events in the mix as well.
When: September 27 - October 13
Where: Various locations in Whangārei
Price: Visit whangareifringe.co.nz for the full programme and tickets.
As we spring forward into warmer weather and longer nights this weekend, Auckland Live is transforming Aotea Square into a light-filled, rhythmic playground for the school holidays. The Dance-O-Mat, a sprung floor that lights up when you play music through its speakers, is back in the square encouraging young and old to bust a move. If you love to dance and/or want to explore some new styles, check out the free workshops on offer including K-Pop, Line Dancing and Siva Samoa, among other genres. Also in the square, immersive light sculpture Full Spectrum is returning. The set of seven giant, colourful hexagons by art studio Vesica is quite a spectacle and a great space for capturing photos of your city adventures with the kids these holidays.
When: September 28 - October 13
Where: Aotea Square, Auckland Central
Price: Free. Visit aucklandlive.co.nz for the full schedule of workshops.
Get the rugrats out of the house, entertained and educated in one fell swoop these holidays by heading to MOTAT for the Make It Loud experience. Coinciding with the launch of the new exhibit, Make Music, visitors can warm up their voices on the karaoke stage, learn about pitch and have a play around with different instruments in the Absurd Orchestra. Make Music is a touring exhibition from Germany that’s making its southern hemisphere debut at MOTAT and it teaches all about the science and technology of music and sound. You can also have a go at the Science Alive design challenge, creating sound makers, in Te Manawa Magic Box. This weekend, to celebrate the exhibition’s opening, there’ll be lots going on at MOTAT including live buskers, performers, workshops, music-themed activities, the opportunity to perform, food trucks and widespread musical revelry.
When: September 28 - October 13
Where: MOTAT, Great North Rd, Western Springs, Auckland
Price: Usual MOTAT entry fees apply.
Anyone with even the slightest interest in jazz music should count themselves blessed beyond belief that there are still a few tickets available to see living legend Herbie Hancock on Tuesday night. The fourteen-time Grammy winner is performing with his band at Kiri Te Kanawa theatre and this will probably be your last chance to catch this icon on our shores. Hancock was a child piano prodigy who played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra aged just 11, was a member of the Miles Davis Quintet for five years, has an Oscar for the Round Midnight score, and has collaborated with everyone from Chaka Khan to Sting to Christina Aguilera. He’s known for his mesmerising live performances and anyone who is able to nab themselves one of the remaining tickets will get to spend the evening in the presence of a true musical genius.
When: October 8, 7pm.
Where: Kiri te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland Central.
Price: Tickets from $199.90 + booking fees from ticketmaster.co.nz
It’s cherry blossom season and while a stroll through Cornwall Park at this time of year is delightful, if you really want to celebrate the season in style you should book yourselves in for the Roku Gin Sakura in Bloom event at The Village next weekend. In partnership with Asian-fusion bakery Fankery, each of the four sessions will include a three-course menu paired with three signature Roku gin cocktails. It’s not your traditional three-course meal, inspired by Roku’s new Sakura Bloom gin, it features a matcha yuzu tart and Sakura cheesecake with mochi, smoked salmon ochazuke, and Sakura tiramisu. The Village is having a temporary makeover as well to get in the spirit of the season and embrace the Hanami Festival aesthetic. Grab a fellow gin-lover or get a group together and celebrate the arrival of spring, cherry blossoms and gin cocktail season.
When: October 12 and 13, 1pm and 4pm.
Where: The Village, 102 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay, Auckland.
Price: Tickets $100/pp from eventbrite.co.nz
On Tuesday, the first collaboration between Auckland Theatre Company and Nightsong opens at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. It’s Peter Pan but not as you know it. This completely original, creatively inspired reimagining is set in urban Aotearoa from where the characters travel to an Icelandic Neverland. If you’ve seen any Nightsong productions before, you’ll know they’re renowned for their visually unique storytelling and Peter Pan is the perfect text to inspire magical set design and dazzling special effects. There’s aerial flying and fight scenes and a top tier cast featuring Anika Moa, Theo Shakes, Andy Grainger, Jennifer Ludlam and Nova Moala-Knox among other talented performers. The season runs until November, however, tickets are selling like hot cakes so there’s no time to dilly-dally, the crocodile’s clock is ticking.
When: October 8 - November 3.
Where: ASB Waterfront Theatre, 138 Halsey Street, Auckland Central.
Price: Tickets start at $30 + booking fees from atc.co.nz
This story has been updated to correct a casting name in Matilda.
Unlike cribs, car seats and most baby gear, a carrier is not just for the baby.