What's on

Sensational Senses at Motat

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The Motat School Holiday Programme could leave some visitors holding their noses. Sensational Senses uses demonstrations and exhibits to give the kids a full sensory experience. There will be live shows by the Science Roadshow team who will be exploring each human sense one by one using fire and ice. Interesting. Children also get the opportunity to create their very own smell bomb, as well as constructing a robot, all the while learning more about sight, touch, smell, taste, and sound.

* Sensational Senses - Motat, Western Springs, 10am-5pm daily, Sep 25-Oct 8, $14 for adults, $7 for kids, under fives free

Family

Howdy partner, etc, etc. This Saturday, heading to Waiheke Island will mean taking a few steps back in time, as well as a few steps west. The theme for this year's Waiheke Aquatic Centre Fundraising Ball is "Wild, Wild West". The Te Huhuri Primary School Hall will be transformed into a scene straight out of a Clint Eastwood film. There'll be a saloon, a bordello, honky tonk piano, dancing girls, and if it all gets too much, pop out to the tepee for a session on the peace pipe.

* Te Huruhi School Hall, Waiheke Island, Saturday, Saloon doors open 7.30pm, Ball accommodation deals on the island, last ferry 12.30am

Festival

The Auckland Seafood Festival takes place this weekend at the Auckland Fish Market, with plenty on offer for those who fancy kai moana. Festivities begin on Saturday morning with a "Blessing of the Fleet" to celebrate the first day of the new fishing year. From there the public can lap up the atmosphere. Bands performing throughout the weekend include Nesian Mystik, The Warratahs, One Million Dollars, Ladi 6, and Tom Sharplin.

* Auckland Seafood Festival - Auckland Fish Market, Jellicoe Street, Western Viaduct, Saturday and Sunday, $20 tickets from Ticketmaster

Hip-hop

One of the biggest names in hip-hop plays Auckland's Supertop on Saturday. American rapper Busta Rhymes has sold millions of albums and will no doubt bust out classic songs like Break Yo Neck and Woo Hah! Got You All In Check, as well as tunes from his most recent album The Big Bang. Legend has it Public Enemy's Chuck D gave Busta his name, and that is a testament to his unique and often incredible skills on the microphone. Local support comes from Flowz, 4 Corners, Tommy Graffiti and Juse.

* Busta Rhymes - Supertop, Mount Smart Stadium, Saturday, 7pm, tickets $60 at Ticketek

Film

Si! Cubanas! Auckland's Cuban Film Festival is on over the next 10 days. A wide range of films are on show at Newmarket's Rialto, K Rd's Descarga Cubana, the Old School Art Centre and the Film Archive. Oggun: An Eternal Presence by Gloria Rolando tells the tale of singer Lazaro Ros, and goes on to relate the mythical story of Oggun the Warrior, while The Jazz In Us is the story of a group of jazz musicians in Havana in the 1940s.

* Si! Cubana! The Cuban Film Festival - from Friday to Oct 11 in Auckland, festivals later in the year in Hamilton, Raglan and Wellington

Ska

Birmingham's The Beat played their first ever show in 1979 and visit New Zealand this weekend. With the Specials, Madness and several other bands the Beat were heavily involved in the development of the British Ska scene. Since that first gig the band has played and toured with the likes of David Bowie, the Police, REM, the Clash, and Talking Heads. Wow, what a list. Be sure to pack those dancing shoes because these guys know how to get a room moving. Local ska fiends the Managers provide fitting support.

* The Beat with The Managers - Friday, Studio, Auckland, tickets from $49 at Ticketek

DJ

Matt Black and Jonathan More, founders of the Ninja Tune record label, and known to the world as Coldcut, play Auckland tonight and Wellington tomorrow. Fresh from headlining summer festivals around Europe with the Sound Mirrors show, Coldcut bring with them an army of technicians to ensure the music is only one part of what promises to be a visual feast.

* Coldcut with Juice Aleem, support from Pitch Black, Stinky Jim - St James, Auckland tonight, tickets $60 from Ticketdirect, Conch Records and Real Groovy

Dance

If you saw David LaChappelle's film Rize last year you'll be familiar with krumping, the new dance craze sweeping the world. Now's your chance to see the energetic action up close at Battle Royale, where seven Auckland krump crews will fight it out for the top title and prize money of $1000. Also performing are the Dziah Dance Crew and Spacifix.

* Battle Royale: The Official Krump Showdown - TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre, Manukau, today, 5.30pm, $15 pre-sales from TicketDirect


* The Herald wrongly stated that there would be a free party to celebrate Lindauer's 25th birthday tonight. The party is in fact taking place on October 28, Viaduct Basin, Auckland, 5pm-10pm. Apologies for any confusion caused.