Weekend's activities cater for a wide range of tastes

By ESTELLE SARNEY

Whether your interests lie out on the water, up in the air, in sport, music or art, there will be an event for you over Auckland Anniversary weekend.

Far from being just a one-day yachting regatta, Auckland's birthday celebrations now cover the three-day weekend and include the whole region. Organiser Tim Kay says this year's anniversary has three highlights - the Sky City Starlight Symphony at the Domain next Saturday, the Volvo Ocean Race restart at the Viaduct Harbour on Sunday, and the Waitemata and Manukau yachting regattas on Monday - but there are many more events surrounding them.

Okahu Bay Domain will become a temporary airport on Monday with a vintage aeroplane on display. It will mark the North Shore Aero Club's Great Northern Air Race, taking place around the top half of the North Island over the weekend.

Up to 45 planes, from old classics to fast tourers, will buzz over Auckland on their way to points between Te Kuiti and Cape Reinga.

"It's like a car rally in the sky," says air race organiser Neil Kimpton. "It's all about navigation and speed, and pilots come from all over the country to take part."

Also at Okahu Bay on Monday will be sports, culture, community activities, music and children's entertainment. Included will be face painters, vintage cars, clay pigeon shooting, horse and cart rides and a stage featuring performances by the Mermaids of Paradise Polynesian dance group, and the Katherine Kelly Irish Dance Company.

At the same time Mission Bay's Selwyn Reserve will host more than 70 arts and crafts exhibitors.

More will be at Woodall Park, opposite Narrowneck Beach on the North Shore. Off Narrowneck, children can have a go paddling an outrigger canoe as part of the Waka Ama Outrigger Regatta.

Out west, the Auckland Folk Festival will be staged at the Kumeu Showgrounds over the whole weekend, featuring local and international musicians and dancers.

For a quieter time, discover a little-known stretch of Auckland coastline on an Urban Safari walk. The Auckland City Council organises the free guided treks and booking is essential (ph 379-1341).

Sunday's walk along the Hillsborough coastline will introduce up to 40 walkers to the area's rich history and vast range of native and exotic vegetation.

If you would rather just relax and listen to good music, head for the Domain band rotunda or Albert Park on Sunday.

At the Domain, the Auckland quartet Smooth Sailing and Paul Ubana Jones will perform as part of the Starbucks Music in Parks series, and in Albert Park 95bFM will host a range of contemporary artists.