The Blues Brothers get together for a pint or two at the Brew of Islands 2024. The beer festival is back for another year. Photo/Kathy Elliston
The Brew returns
It’s one of the most popular shows in town and the Brew of Islands is back for a third year, but with some modification.
There will be two four-hour sessions this year, one from noon to 4pm and the other from 6pm to 10pm.
Festival organisers Tyler Bamber and Gerry Paul, both dedicated beer enthusiasts, have orchestrated a festival that celebrates exceptional craft beer.
When you arrive at the Turner Centre on Saturday, June 28 you will be given a 400ml reusable cup and the organisers say “grip it like your life depends on it”.
Each brewer will be offering 75ml tasters, 250ml mid-size options and 400ml full cups.
Back for another shot are local legendary breweries Kainui and Phat House and a little further afield, but still in Northland, are McLeod’s Brewery from Waipu and definitely in are 8 Wired from Matakana.
Kainui Brew Company is a farmhouse brewery located in Kerikeri. Their goal is to experiment with a wide range of recipes and processes, from funky traditional farmhouse ales to split batches and the “hop bombs” of the day.
Kainui Brew Company works with, and sometimes against, tradition as they combine a range of flavours from malted barley and hops to local fruits and microflora. If they think it’ll taste good, they’ll give it a crack and it seems to be working. Kainui Brew Co was named Best Micro Brewery in New Zealand last year.
The powerhouse Aotearoa brewers Parrotdog are returning and so is Garage Project and Urbanaut and new to the party from Wellington is Double Vision.
For those looking for alternatives to beer, local cocktail maestro Ben Thrippleton from Kindred Spirits is back with a dedicated gin bar that has been added to satisfy G & T addicts.
There are food vendors and live entertainment and enough beer to satisfy all craft beer connoisseurs. https://www.brewofislands.co.nz/
Te Waimate celebrates Archaeology Week
Te Waimate Mission is set to celebrate Archaeology Week on Saturday, May 3 with two events.
First is Young Archaeologists Workshop (10am-12pm) for kids 7 years and older who will be able to take part in a hands-on mini-excavation searching for hidden artefacts while learning about the tools and techniques used by archaeologists in the field.
This workshop is free but limited to 10 children.
Second is a Walk Through Time Archaeology Tour (1pm-3pm) which explores the remains of Te Waimate Mission, the fourth Anglican mission station in New Zealand, and the early theological college that was established there by Bishop Selwyn.
The guided tour will include insights into early Māori-Pākehā relationships with the identification of Te Ahu Ahu, Whakataha and Ōkuratope Pā sites; the remains of fortifications from the 1845 battles behind the mission house and the mayhem caused by British troops stationed at Te Waimate, and much more.
The tour is limited to 20 people and will cost $20 per person (Heritage New Zealand members free).
To book your place: collections.humanitix.com/archaeology-day.
Waitangi Mountain Bike Park builds a specialist area
For many years, riders at Waitangi Mountain Bike Park (WMBP) have been asking for dedicated “jump lines” and a progression area to hone their skills. They are set to get their wish.
Trail construction will begin just at the end of the April school holidays at the end of the month and will continue through May and June.
To complete the task WMBP have employed Empire of Dirt, a Rotorua-based company specialising in trail building. Tiffany Holland, manager of Waitangi Mountain Bike Park, said to achieve this the company believed it was “imperative to collaborate with a high-end professional trail-building company renowned for its expertise in crafting world-class biking facilities, specifically respected for their jump lines”.
Empire of Dirt was founded in 2012 by Adam King and Chris Martin. They have been involved in course construction at Skyline Rotorua, at the Christchurch Adventure Park and Te Paka at Whakarewarewa.
They have created trails internationally and as a result have become the premier destination for school bike track building, asphalt pump track construction, walking track development and bike park design.
The Jump & Skills Area will be professionally designed and is located near the front of the park. It will deliver not only a challenge for riders of all levels but will provide an easily accessible area for spectators.
The company has secured significant funding to make the project a reality from Focus Community Charitable Trust, NZ Lottery Grants Board, Foundation North and a small number of community donors.
Bay of Islands ITM and Ventia Puketona Quarry are donating essential materials and Mahalo Transport are assisting with logistics. Holland said other sponsors have been equally important.
“Ngā Hapū ki Waitangi, the Department of Conservation, the Waitangi National Trust and Forest Managers, PF Olsen have all contributed but there is a shortfall to cover the remaining costs.
“Kim and Bruce Rogers have generously donated two months’ worth of deluxe trail crew accommodation at a heavily discounted rate, contributing a value in kind of thousands of dollars in support of the project.”
Circus and wearable art come to town
Imagine a cross between the World of Wearable Art costumes, burlesque and the circus. That’s the way the Haus of Yolo has been described.
It’s a combination of all three dimensions but perhaps even wilder and it’s coming to the Turner Centre in Kerikeri in May.
Aotearoa’s most daring circus theatre company, the Dust Palace, has produced what they say is a “party cabaret” packed with comedy, breathtaking circus stunts and wrapped in a package of high energy entertainment.
The head designer is Welt Couture which is on a mission to create the latest Kerikeri collection live on stage.
It’s called a night of outrageous fun where fabulous fashion meets fearless feats and promises acrobatics linked with party tunes coupled with high-energy madness.
The new cast includes Eve Gordon, Lizzie Tollemache, Luis Meirelles and Jaine Mieka. It’s a rainbow-friendly celebration and expect outrageous fashion and pure silliness.
The Dust Palace Charitable Trust promotes the circus industry in New Zealand. It has existed since 2009. It provides scholarships, subsidises shows and provides rehearsal space to professional artists. For the most part these things have been funded by the corporate arm of the company, Dust Palace Productions.
In 2016 the company performed in Montreal, Canada. They were rewarded for their investment the following year by being picked up for a season at The Cultch in Vancouver and The Centaur in Montreal. turncercentre.co.nz. Friday, May 23. R18 adults preferred, leave the kids at home.
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