Our top picks for your next weekend getaway

The Balloons Over Waikato festival. Photo / Alan Gibson

Don't forget to look up if you're anywhere near Hamilton this weekend, as a lot of action will be happening in the skies above it. The annual Balloons over Waikato festival sees dozens of hot air balloons taking in sunrise flights (from 7-7.30am, tomorrow until Sunday) and the free Zuru Night Glow event (4-9pm on Saturday March 24), a light and sound show where the balloons glow to orchestrated music. The Saturday event has something for the whole family, including live music from the likes of Jason Kerrison, food and drinks stalls, an aeronautical display and flyover by the RNZAF Black Falcons and a fireworks finale. Thursday, March 21 to Sunday March 25, Innes Common and University of Waikato.

Guns display

Easter Weekend means it's

Royal Easter Show time

, with all the weird and wonderful displays of New Zealand-ness that comes with this iconic annual event, such as woodchopping and shearing competitions. One of the highlights of the weekend's fun is the New Zealand's Strongest Man Competition, which sees burly blokes compete in eight events over two days, including pulling 14-tonne trucks, carrying an anvil weighing 160kg or flipping a 300kg tyre. This year marks the competition's 22nd year, maybe it'll be the most impressive disply of brute force yet. Friday, March 30, 9am to Saturday, March 31, 5pm, ASB Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane Rd West, Epsom, Auckland.

Shearing competitions will be held at the Royal Easter Show.

Making shapes

Celebrate the long weekend with a good boogie next Saturday night at Shapeshifter's last gig for the foreseeable future in Matakana. They've gathered some of Aotearoa's best to support them including Ladi6, Kora, Sunshine Sound System and LA-based produced Mr. Carmack. Bus services are available from Auckland, Mangawhai, Leigh, Omaha and Warkworth, and note that the show is R18. Tickets, $85, from

Aaaticketing.co.nz

Saturday, March 31 from 4pm, Matakana Country Park, 1151 Leigh Rd, Matakana.

Kiwi group Shapeshifter.

Get on boards

Explore the Bay of Plenty island of Tuhua (Mayor Island) by both water and land this weekend, as part of the two-day

Around Tuhua Paddle event

. Entrants will be transported to the island onboard the Bay Explorer, then will have the chance to paddle around it on stand-up paddle boards or kayaks. Part of the visit will include a talk by Tuhua's kaitiaki (caretakers) on the island's history and resources and time to explore its walking tracks and lakes. Tickets, $240, include travel, cabin or tent accommodation, food and koha to any assisting parties. Saturday, March 24, 7:30am to Sunday, March 25, 6:30pm, Pilot Bay, Tauranga.

Whangamata's offshore islands, with Tuhua in the background.

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