This week's Katikati Advertiser features multiple announcements of events happening around the town and wider region. There will be an Anzac Bay Summer Kick Off at Waihī Beach, a Festival of Cultures in Katikati, and New Zealand's top comedians visiting — among just a few highlights.
Small gatherings also are being hosted to give people insights into the clubs and groups that have always been an important feature of smaller towns, keeping people connected in the community — especially those who are elderly or who live alone.
Performers themselves are among those relieved for a return to normality, after being unable to gather an audience due to Covid-19.
The performances not only enriched communities but were important fundraisers for schools, emergency services and community groups.
A comedy night being hosted in town in November is a major fundraiser for Katikati Primary School, for example.
Fiona Powell, who has been extremely busy lately as Katch Katikati's communications manager, said the energy that went into organising events that subsequently had to be cancelled was at times "soul destroying" for organisers.
But there is a new horizon.
"You can definitely feel that things have changed," says Fiona.
"People are coming along to things now. People weren't that comfortable coming to events and gatherings but on the weekend we had two sold-out events and there's lots more events and concerts, and performers coming."
On October 9, Katikati Concert Band is hosting the NZ Concert Band Association weekend workshop with brass and woodwind players gathering from all over the country under the direction of a professional conductor.
"We hosted a very successful band weekend a few years back and so we are excited to be able to do so again," says Sue Miller.
An inaugural Anzac Bay Summer Kick Off Festival on November 19 is among events taking place in summer with support from a new community funding grant, the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF).
A Festival of Cultures is coming to Katikati and Fiji Independence Day celebration, Katikati Community Christmas Meal and Matakana Island Opureora Marae, Rangatahi Creative Art & Design Event are also supported by the fund.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council community and strategic relationships manager Jodie Rickard says the fund had a positive reception.
"It has been a difficult few years for the events industry, so we're excited to help bring our Western Bay whānau and others together to celebrate, to make new memories, and to have some fun too."
Waihī Beach community events & promotion manager Vicki Lambert says the free family event planned in November at Waihi Beach has live music, food trucks and workshops on offer in a significant location.
"The collaboration between Waihī Beach Events and Promotions and Te Whānau ā Tauwhao enables the community to come together in a beautiful spot here at Waipaopao, to learn more of the history and celebrate the start of summer.
"We are also working with environmental teams to ensure this is a low-waste event as part of our commitment towards low or zero-waste operations."
In all, 26 events secured funding with $700,000 available at a maximum $15,000 per event.
Applications are considered on a bi-monthly basis, event organisers are encouraged to submit their applications at least four months in advance.
Fiona, meanwhile, is not only busy promoting but campaigning.
She has a special fondness for the Bird of the Year campaign, and particularly the weak.
Weka are a cheeky hen-sized bird with a criminal mind, often mistaken for a kiwi by tourists, and are one of our four flightless endemic birds along with the more-well-known kakapo, takahe and kiwi, she explains.
"People tend to love or hate weka. On one hand they'll dig up your garden or gobble up a penguin egg, but on the other they are important seed dispersers and also vulnerable to predators and impacts of climate change. The flightless weka pose a real conundrum for conservationists."
Weka were released in the Agongatete Forest south of Katikati in 2015, but they didn't hang around.
"I've heard of weka sightings recently in Tauriko and Omokoroa which is exciting as most North Island populations are only found on outlying islands, Russell Peninsula and Opotiki-Motu," says Fiona, who lived on a Hauraki Gulf island with 102 weka.
The annual hotly contested Bird of the Year competition begins on October 17 when bird lovers and campaign managers alike try to win over audiences to vote for their favourite bird with entertaining campaigns of memes, videos, billboards and corruption.
Last year the pekapeka or long-tailed bat, a controversial entry into the "bird" contest, romped away with the most votes.
"The pekapeka isn't standing this year, nor is the crowd favourite the kakapo, and instead the focus for Bird of the Year is on the underdogs of New Zealand's bird world – like the weka," says Fiona.
"If the weka takes out the Bird of the Year contest, more people will have an appreciation and recognition of these complex birds with a huge character, and perhaps be more tolerant of their naughty habits like breaking into your tent while you're camping and stealing your car keys."
