Harcourts Vegas Showtime For Hospice. Photo / Tracey Scott
No one knew what the debut of Vegas Showtime would bring.
Following years of the beloved Harcourts Dancing for Hospice, guests were quick to observe that Saturday night was “different”.
Uncertain on how the evening would play out, guests were more than pleasantly surprised.
The night was described as “phenomenal”, “fabulous” and “world-class”, said Rotorua Hospice fundraising and marketing manager Nicola de Lautour.
She said event coordinators and collaborators could confidently say “we delivered”.
Escaping into a world of glitz and glamour, the night aimed to give a whole new meaning to “Rotovegas.”
A winding red carpet led up to 200 guests around the Rydges Hotel, the first stop being drinks and canapés. While guests mingled, doors opened to reveal AmJazz dancers, guiding them into a ballroom sparkling with chandeliers, neon lights, and towering palm trees.
Laughter, applause, and the hum of casino-like games filled the air as the crowd settled in for a night of entertainment, food, and fundraising.
A show-stopping performance from legendary entertainer Frankie Stevens, whose opening numbers had guests singing along to classics Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Stand By Me.
Brendan Dooley, a comedy magician and MC for the night, followed with a series of mind-bending tricks that had the crowd laughing and cheering.
Between dinner and dessert courses, the playful Deal or No Deal: Charity Edition kept energy high, encouraging friendly competition while raising funds for a good cause.
Dessert was served alongside a moving musical tribute, With a Little Help From My Friends, highlighting the community spirit at the heart of Hospice.
The live auction was a highlight of the evening, led by Australasia’s top auctioneer Mark McGoldrick. Guests eagerly bid on travel packages, wine, and other coveted prizes, raising over $20,000 to support Hospice.
Some attendees walked away with incredible deals, while others simply celebrated the chance to give back.
Meanwhile, volunteers manning the Spinning Wheel kept the atmosphere lively, with attendees donating joyfully even if they didn’t win, proving the night was as much about community as it was about competition.
But for Rotorua Hospice clinical director Sue Taylor, the real magic was seeing her team together for once.
After more than 20 years with Hospice, Taylor said it was rare occasion as someone was “always working”.
Tompkins Wake and Patchell Group sponsored half a table each for Hospice staff, who said they felt “really spoilt” and were overwhelmed by the generosity and support from the Rotorua community.
Each table at the event had their own story on how Hospice had impacted them.
Hospice volunteer coordinator Jessica Perry said attendees weren’t so much interested in the prizes up for grabs, but were just excited to donate to a worthy cause.
Harcourts director and owner Erin Kingston, whose company served as principal sponsor, said those who weren’t at the event “missed out” on an “off-the-charts” night.
Harcourts had supported Hospice for over a decade, with their financial backing essential to making the event possible.
“It’s one of our values, and we feel really strongly about supporting people through this difficult journey,” Kingston said.
Organisers hoped to make Vegas Showtime a biennial event.
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Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.