Today, 9am-4pm, to March 26, except Sundays. Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust, Studio One Toi Tu, 1 Ponsonby Rd, Auckland.
Ph (09) 376-1665. See tautai.org
Outdoor art
Take a walk through the latest in outdoor sculpture by 42 leading artists, set in picturesque native bush with harbour views. An outing for all the family at the Harbourview Sculpture Trail, 15 minutes' drive from Auckland City. Enjoy the interactive kids "Creation Station" or add to your own art collection at the onsite art shop. On Friday and Saturday evenings gourmet food trucks and roving entertainment will delight.
Tomorrow until March 28, Harbourview Sculpture Trail. harbourviewsculpture.com
Round the bays
The Ports of Auckland Round the Bays is one of the world's largest fun-runs, with almost 30,000 registered runners. It's 8.4km over a flat course following the contours of Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, starting in the city on Quay St and finishing on the St Heliers Bay waterfront.
Tomorrow, from 9.30am.
To register: roundthebays.co.nz/the-event/the-eventkey-details/entry-fees/
Down and dirty
The Great Te Atatu Peninsula Mud Run features courses for kids and grown-ups who embrace their inner child. The Te Atatu Village Kindergarden fundraiser includes spot prizes, a free hose-down from a firefighter, sausage sizzles and refreshments.
Tomorrow, Chapman Reserve, Te Atatu Peninsula. Registrations start at 10am, races at 10.30. Entry by koha. See TeAtatuMudRun on Facebook or phone (09) 834 6012
Beautiful science
Get behind the scenes of the Museum's Natural Sciences collection at this year's Explorama event. Take on the role of a scientist and explore natural history displays in the atrium and behind-the-scenes tours of restricted areas, including collection storage spaces and curatorial labs to see how objects are prepared for research and display. Outside at the Domain, the Monarch Butterfly Trust will release Monarch butterflies (weather dependent) plus there'll be the chance to discover wildlife outside the museum with tours of the birdlife, insects, fungi and spiders.
Today and tomorrow, 10am - 5pm. Auckland War Memorial Museum, museum atrium. Entry free with museum entry. The Domain tours and butterfly release are weather dependent. aucklandmuseum.com/whats-on/kids-and-family/explorama
Plan ahead
Star exhibit
2016 is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. Auckland Libraries has a rich collection of his works, most of them gifted by Sir George Grey in the late 19th century. The star exhibit is the First folio, which is the earliest collected edition of his plays, printed in 1623. The exhibition also shows the world and time in which the great playwright lived and worked from historic atlases, a first-hand account of the Gunpowder Plot and the one of the earliest authorised Bibles printed in English in 1541.
March 11-June 19, Sir George Grey Special Collections, 2nd floor, Central Library.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat and Sun 10am-4pm
Street life
A global, ground-breaking street art project is heading to Napier that will transform many of the city's unused walls into extraordinary works of art. International non-profit organisation the PangeaSeed Foundation, in partnership with the Napier City Council, is bringing the festival Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans to the city. PangeaSeed's New Zealand co-ordinator Cinzah Merkens, who lives in Napier, says around 23 renowned contemporary artists from New Zealand and overseas will descend on the city to paint murals on around 25 large-scale concrete walls in Ahuriri and the CBD. Sea Walls Napier follows similar festivals in Los Angeles, Vietnam, Mexico and Sri Lanka.
Opens March 11, plus a live spray-painting demonstration at the Napier Night Fiesta. Artists will be painting their murals around the city between March 14 and 18.
This month...
It's the countdown to Auckland City Limits Music Festival. There's a stellar line-up (including Kendrick Lamar, The National, Fat Freddy's Drop, Modest Mouse, Girl Talk, Shapeshifter, Broods, to name a few). Add to that a mini festival just for kids, comedy, burlesque, artists and amazing chefs on site and you have a spectacular day out.
March 19, 11am-11pm. Western Springs Stadium and Park. Tickets, aucklandcitylimits.com and Ticketmaster. Kids 10 and under are free with a ticketed adult.
Among clever new products making their debut at the North Shore Home and Garden Show are a European vinyl that can be applied to cabinets, tables, walls, appliances to add texture, style and a fresh look. Check out other innovations and trends, enjoy show-only specials, source a new look, attend free daily seminars, or simply be inspired.
March 18-20, the North Shore Events Centre, Argus Place, Glenfield, 10am-5pm. homeandgardenshow.co.nz
