It should come as no surprise that a market which has donated more than $800,000 to the Rotorua community would celebrate its 30th birthday by giving back even more.
The Rotorua North Rotary Market, now based at Kuirau Park, started in the car park of a Woolworths supermarket where the Novotel now stands.
The market has grown in the past 30 years, boasting live music, fresh meat and vegetables, arts and crafts, hot food, bric-a-brac, clothing stalls and more.
Yesterday organisers, stallholders and marketgoers celebrated in style with free face painting and giveaways. All of the funds raised, coming in at more than $1000, were donated back to Big Brother Big Sister.
Garry Adlam has been the market director for 21 years.
"It's just a fantastic market.
"Over the past 30 years we've raised more than $800,000 and it is a great service to put back into the community."
As part of the day's giveaways, Adlam drew a $500 prize for one of the market's major stallholders.
"The stallholder who won it actually donated it back to the Rotary club for them to donate to Big Brother Big Sister."
Redwoods Butchery were the winners of the prize but wanted that to remain on the "down low".
"We just want to stay here, to keep coming back to the market and doing what we do."
Rotarian Janine Branson said the market stallholders had become "a bit of a family now".
"Older people come from out of town. Some come from Gisborne. Travelling around to the markets; it's a way of life for some people.
"The fish man is from Katikati. A number come from Tauranga. We have a kettle corn man from Kawerau."
She said the community loved going to the market because it was a place people could eat and contribute to public fundraising.
"It is amazing to see the problems of the world that you solve on duty."
Suanida and Nazita Mesic have been going to the market since they moved to Rotorua 11 years ago.
Suanida said it had grown and changed for the better in that time.
"There are so many different foods, a large variety of stalls and cultures.
"It's really great for children."
Nazita said it was just a "nice environment" to spend her Saturday mornings in.
"Being here, with the live music playing, you really feel like part of the community."
The market has supported more than 200 charities over the 30 years, including:
• Riding for the Disabled
• St Johns, St Faiths
• Cancer Society
• Victims Support
• Special Olympics
• NZ Suicide Prevention
• Breast cancer Society
• Mercy Ships
• Mental Health Awareness
• Polio Plus
• World Vision
• Alzheimers Rotorua
• Kiwi Can Rotorua
• Love Soup
• Big Brothers Big Sisters