This is one of those events that helps put Rotorua on the international map, attracting participants and media from overseas.
Another event at the weekend with an international flavour was the popular annual Rotorua Walking Festival with hundreds of people from around the country and overseas enjoying a range of forest and urban walks. It's a chance to mingle with like-minded people while taking in the city's scenic offerings.
Organisers of a national rural GP conference in Rotorua held a fun run/walk before Saturday's session and there was a St Patrick's Day celebration of a different kind with Orienteering Bay of Plenty putting on a "green" rogaine in which participants learned about green initiatives and sustainable business practices. What a great idea.
The Ulysses Club of New Zealand gave locals a chance to check out their rides during their annual meeting in Rotorua and the regular Saturday market and Friends of the Library book sale in Kuirau Park plus an arts and crafts market at the racecourse all added to a busy, convivial weekend that celebrated a wide variety of interests.
Community spirit is what sees us through the tough times and we know many people are doing it tough right now.
Events like those held at the weekend help to keep that community spirit alive, give us something to smile about, meet and connect with new people and express who we are.
An annual event that does this so well is Lakeside. What a fantastic 2013 concert the community was treated to - a totally professional show with great performers, great music, a magical fireworks display and a great family atmosphere. The best thing is it's free so is accessible to all.
These events all serve different purposes - to challenge and push ourselves; meet new people; enjoy being active and healthy; be educated while having fun; share experiences and encourage others to join in; raise funds for the community; encourage creativity and entrepreneurship; reward the community and bring people together.
Each event also has spin-offs for Rotorua's economy and its future, bringing people into our city and showing them that this is, to borrow a cliche, a great place to live, work and play.
It's easy to find what's wrong with a community because there are things wrong in every community and issues we have here are issues many other places also have. But I'd like to think that the good generally outweighs the bad.
Events have the ability to not only bring people together but to remind us that even in tough times and despite the bad stuff, there is still plenty of good and plenty to be happy about and thankful for.
When you make the effort to take a look around and see all the good things that are happening and all the good people who are making things happen, you realise community spirit is alive and well here, as it is in most places.
It's just a matter of joining in and being part of it.
Ingrid Tiriana is a freelance writer based in Rotorua.
