Harcourts Rotorua's Dancing for Hospice event was nominated for the best not-for-profit or cause-related event award.
Harcourts Rotorua's Dancing for Hospice event was nominated for the best not-for-profit or cause-related event award.
The Bay of Plenty is living it large at New Zealand's biggest event awards, with at least five local events and companies nominated.
The New Zealand Event Awards span 18 categories - from best community event to best international event, sports, arts, and everything in between. Bay of Plenty events have been named finalists in some categories.
Harcourts Rotorua's Dancing for Hospice event was nominated for the best not-for-profit or cause-related event award.
Dancing for Hospice is going up against some of the biggest events in New Zealand for the award, including SkyCity's annual Sky Tower Stair Challenge, and the You Are Us/Aroha Nui concert which was held for the benefit of the families affected in Christchurch after March 15.
Hospice Rotorua fundraising and marketing manager Nicola Smallwood said they were thrilled to be finalists.
"It is really a testament to our amazing Rotorua community who have gotten behind Harcourts Dancing for Hospice," she said.
"Without the support of our sponsors, dancers, volunteers, and audience, we wouldn't be here. We hope everyone who was involved with the event in 2019 and for the previous three years gives themselves a big pat on the back."
Pato Entertainment's One Love festival was nominated for 2019's best music or entertainment event.
Tauranga's biggest music festival, One Love, has been nominated for best music or entertainment event at the New Zealand Event Awards. Photo / File
The 2019 festival sold out, with 20,000 festival-goers descending on Tauranga for the two-day event.
The Anchor Aims Games were nominated for two awards this year - best sports event and best regional or national event.
The week-long tournament, which is now in its 17th year, brings more than 20,000 visitors to the city annually.
Two events from the Bay of Plenty have been nominated for best local government event: the Building Nations Symposium, held in Rotorua in 2019, and Tauranga's Armistice Centenary Commemorations: Field of Remembrance, Homecoming Exhibition and Centenary Service.
Marco Miln (right) and Kruz Ua-Marsh get to grips with an opponent during the 2019 Aims Games. Photo / File
NZEA general manager Segolene de Fontenay said the New Zealand Event Awards were a celebration of success in a "vibrant and valuable industry".
"It makes substantial contributions not only to the economy but to the happiness of everyday Kiwis," she said.
"2019 was a great year for eventing which is clear in the range of finalists we're announcing ... The list is a sample of the vast array of events thriving in New Zealand."
The awards drew more than 105 entrants across the 18 categories, which are awarded for personal contributions, the contributions of sponsors, and not-for-profit events.
The winners will be announced on May 11 at The Pavilion, Old Government House Lawn, in Auckland.
