Tauranga gears up for Christmas and New Year

The Crown and Badger owner Jessica Rafferty loves the festive hum of the city. Photo / Zoe Hunter

Tauranga accommodation and hospitality joints are enjoying an influx of customers during the lead-up to the new year, despite Santa likely receiving a soggy welcome this Christmas.

Niwa meteorologist Maria Augutis said wet weather would sweep over the upper and central North Island, including the Bay of Plenty.

It may turn out to be one of the wettest Christmas days ever in Tauranga, before clearing towards New Year's Day.

Despite the looming wet weather, Tauranga hospitality and accommodation establishments were enjoying the summer rush.

The Crown and Badger owner Jessica Rafferty said the festive spirit was alive and well in the area, with customers being "nice and happy".

She said the downtown area had a "hum" about it and she was pleased to see people come to the city.

The spot was closed on only Christmas Day, and there had been many last-minute bookings with patrons coming in on scavenger hunts and other activities, along with functions and the usual walk-in customers.

While business tended to dip through January, she thought this year might be different.

Lone Star Tauranga owner Trevor Donaghy said business in December was up compared to last year and had been "good and strong" so far.

The business would be open all through the holiday season, bar Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Aside from walk-in customers, there had been a recent influx of end-year-functions where organisations spent up big to celebrate.

The period between December 27 and January 7 tended to be "pretty crazy" before tapering off through January.

He said it was great to have more activity in the CBD, especially with the Dialled Waterpark on the Tauranga waterfront bringing people into the area.

The Tauranga on the Waterfront duty manager, Kelly Richardson, said the motel was fully booked to around January 7, as was usual every year.

"It's the same for everyone."

In the midst of a general accommodation shortage, the premise booked out "pretty quick" due to the seasonal flood of people and advance bookings for events such as Bay Dreams and One Love, she said.

Hospitality New Zealand's Bay of Plenty accommodation sector chairman Tony Bullot previously told the Bay of Plenty Times that people booked accommodation immediately after the line-up was announced.

Bullot, who owns 850 Cameron Motel, said some bookings were made a year in advance.

Christmas and New Year - Weather

Christmas Eve: Increasing cloud with showers possible late. Maximum temperature - 20C
Christmas Day: Periods of rain, some heavy. Windy. Humid with a maximum temperature near 19C
Boxing Day: Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers or a thunderstorm. Breezy. Maximum temperature near 21C
27 Dec to 1 Jan: Rain and cloud likely to clear leading to fine periods

Traffic Hotspots
Times when traffic is expected to be extra heavy

SH2 - Tauranga to Katikati
Tue, Jan 1
10.30am-3.30pm

Wed, Jan 2
9.30am-3pm

Thu, Jan 3
9.30am-3pm

Fri, Jan 4
10.30am-12pm

Sat, Jan 5
11.30am-1pm

SH2 - Waihi to Paeroa
Sat, Dec 22
3pm-10.30pm

Tue, Jan 1
11.30am-4.30pm

Wed, Jan 2
10.30am-4pm

Thu, Jan 3
10.30am-4pm

Fri, Jan 4
11.30am-1pm

Sat, Jan 5
12pm-2pm

SH29 - Kaimai (West of Tauranga)
Tue, Dec 25
10am-11am

Wed, Jan 2
12pm-2pm

Thu, Jan 3
10.30am-2.30pm
Source: NZTA

Event Guide - Christmas and New Year
Monday, December 24
What: Santa's Workshop
When: 11am-4pm
Where: Fraser Cove Shopping Centre

What: Christmas Eve Children's Service
When: 7pm-8pm
Where: St George's Anglican Church

What: Midnight Mass and Carols
When: 11pm
Where: St George's Anglican Church

Tuesday, December 25
What: Christmas Day Family Eucharist
When: St George's Anglican Church
Where: 9am-10am

Wednesday, December 26
What: Summer Feels
When: 4pm
Where: Soper Reserve, 95 Newton St

Thursday, December 27
What: Dinner In the Domain
When: 5.30pm-8.30pm
Where: Papamoa Beach Domain

What: Eves Surfbreaker Triathlon
When: 7am-1pm
Where: Mount Main Beach

Friday, December 28
What: South Pacific Midget Car Series
When: 6.30pm-10pm
Where: Baypark

What: Sachi, Golden Features, Carmada, Deadbeat - Mount Park
When: 5.30pm
Where: Soper Reserve, 95 Newton St

Saturday, December 29
What: Tauranga Farmers Market
When: 7.45am-12pm
Where: 5th Avenue

What: Public Skating Session
When: 1pm-3pm
Where: 2 Roxanne Place

Sunday, December 30
What: Blindspott and Devilskin
When: 8pm-11.30pm
Where: Mount Park, 107 Newton St

Monday, December 31
What: CBD New Year's Eve Community Celebration
When: 6pm-9.30pm
Where: Tauranga Waterfront

What: Papamoa's New Year's Eve Community Celebration
When: 6pm-9.30pm
Where: Gordon Spratt Reserve

What: Matua's New Year's Eve Community Celebration
When: 6pm-9.30pm
Where: Fergusson Park

What: Tides Festival
When: 7.30pm
Where: Our Place

Tuesday, January 1
What: Waihi Beach Antique and Collectible Fair
When: 9am
Where: Waihi Beach Community Centre

What: Bay Dreams pre-party
When: 3.30pm
Where: Baypark

Wednesday, January 2
What: Bay Dreams
When: 11am
Where: Baypark

What: Interislander Summer Races
When: 10.30am
Where: Tauranga Race Course