Mount Maunganui Halloween dance party raising money for mental health charity

The Halloween music festival is for 14 to 17-year-olds. Photo / File

Dancing, DJs and dress-ups - but all for a good cause.

Pāpāmoa mother Dani Smith and her 15-year-old son Levi are hosting a Halloween-themed dance party on October 29, with all proceeds going to mental health charity I Am Hope.

It is the first event their passion project - The Good Events Co - is hosting after they created it this year with the idea of having youth events in the Bay of Plenty and raising money for charity.

Smith said the Halloween-themed music festival - Sound Slaughter - was for 14 to 17-year-olds and would be held at the Mount Maunganui sports centre.

There would be four DJs with drum and bass, electronic dance music, hip hop and RnB and pop music.

"It's just going to get the kids moving," she said.

There would also be a "full chill-out zone" with bean bags.

She was mindful of safety and said there would be bag checks, security and paramedics.

The Halloween music festival is for 14 to 17-year-olds. Photo / Supplied

Smith said the inspiration for the idea came after Levi asked his parents if he could have a Halloween party at home.

Smith also recognised how Covid-19 had affected youth, particularly socially.

"Being in the Bay, for our group of friends and my son's crew, they're into going outside, they have to skate, they have to surf, they have to be with each other and not having that was really tough."

Smith said Levi and his friends enjoyed partying, but could not go out properly until they turned 18.

They decided to combine both by hosting an under-18 dance party and donating the money to charity. She hoped to sell between 500 and 600 tickets, with anything over the cost of the party going towards I Am Hope.

There would also be giveaways on the night, which had been donated by local businesses.

I Am Hope founding ambassador Mike King said it was New Zealand's leading youth mental health charity, led by young Kiwis.

"We listen to what young people in the community are saying and we do our best to highlight their mental health challenges while promoting a positive attitudinal societal change, creating a cultural shift around mental health in New Zealand."

King said it offered people hope and a voice, and could not do it without the ongoing support from Kiwis across the country.

"The people out in our communities doing the real work, raising money and awareness and rolling their sleeves up - they are the real heroes."

Smith hopes to host one or two charitable events per year, and ideally keep donating to I Am Hope. Tickets to the Halloween event can be purchased on the Ticket Fairy website.