Things to do this Easter

It's the long weekend and the start of school holidays. We have your guide to fun, activities and events, as well as helpful information on road closures for Easter events and an overview of the Easter church services.

50th National Jazz Festival

Easter Weekend Guide

Saturday 7 April

9am-4pm. National Youth Jazz Competition. Bay of Plenty Times Festival Hall (Baycourt).

10am-4pm. History of Jazz ... according to Tauranga, The Exhibition. Poster design competition exhibition. Creative Tauranga.

10.30am. The Jazz Parade. (See website for route).

12 noon-6pm. Downtown Tauranga Carnival. The Strand, Red Square, Aspen Reserve. Free.

2pm, 4pm, 6pm departure. The Sebel Trinity Wharf Tauranga Jazz Riverboat. Departs from Sebel Trinity Wharf.

6.45pm. Jazz Tui Award Night. The University of Waikato Jazz Club.

7pm. Klaus Doldinger's Passport. Bay of Plenty Times Festival Hall (Baycourt).

9.30pm. Light My Fire - Tribute to The Doors. Bay of Plenty Times Festival Hall (Baycourt).

Sunday 8 April

10am-4pm. History of Jazz ... according to Tauranga, The Exhibition. Poster design competition exhibition. Creative Tauranga.

10am-5pm. Jazz Village. Historic Village 17th Ave.

12 noon-5pm. Downtown Tauranga Carnival. The Strand, Red Square, Aspen Reserve. Free.

2pm, 4pm, 6pm departure. The Sebel Trinity Wharf Tauranga Jazz Riverboat. Departs from Sebel Trinity Wharf.

3pm. Jubilation. Holy Trinity Church.

3pm. Tauranga Big Band and Special Guests. Bay of Plenty Times Festival Hall (Baycourt).

5-10pm. Birthday Bash. Earth, Wind and Fire, Keb Mo and Patti Austin. Tauranga Domain.

Monday 9 April

10am-4pm. History of Jazz ... according to Tauranga, The Exhibition. Poster design competition exhibition. Creative Tauranga.

10am-5pm. Jazz Village. Historic Village 17th Ave.

7pm. Blame it on the Bossa Nova - Beat Girls. Bay of Plenty Times Festival Hall (Baycourt).

* Festival Hall and Jazz Club are situated at Baycourt. ** Website www.jazz.org.nz

Helpful information this Easter

Road Closures for Easter Events

The Strand, from Harington St to Spring St, 6am Saturday to 8pm Sunday

Willow St, from Wharf St to Spring St, 6am Saturday to 6pm Sunday

Grey St, from Spring St to Elizabeth St, 6am-6pm Saturday

Maunganui Rd, from Banks Ave/Salisbury Ave to Pacific Ave, 9am-4pm on Sunday

Parking Building Easter Hours

On Saturday, both parking buildings will be open from 8.30am to 7pm.

On Easter Sunday, the Elizabeth St parking building will be open from 9am-7pm and the Spring St parking building will be open from 9am-11pm.

Both buildings will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday

Easter Rubbish Collection

Normal rubbish collection on Monday 9 April 2012.

Transfer Stations

Open Saturday, Easter Sunday and Monday from 9am-5pm.

Fun things to do

SATURDAY AND/OR SUNDAY

WHAT: Easter egg making

WHERE: Tauranga Art Gallery

TIME: Saturday 10.30am

Easter egg making activity for children aged 7-9 years, 90-minute activity, cost $10 per child. All children get juice, popcorn, an Easter egg and the activity. Bookings 578-7933.

WHAT: 25th annual Tauranga Rotary Club Easter Book Sale

WHERE: Satara Coolstore, Totara St.

TIME: 9am-5pm Saturday, Sunday and Monday

Check out one of New Zealand's largest secondhand book sales with more than 100,000 items. Funds raised go to Tauranga Rotary Club.

WHAT: Jazz in the Red Square

WHERE: Red Square, downtown Tauranga

TIME: Saturday and Easter Sunday

Malcolm McNeil and Friends perform on Saturday from 12-12.15pm, Reputations Group perform from 2.30-5pm and Wild Reed Combo perform at 7pm. Jan Jan Jam will perform on Sunday from 12-12.15pm and Shaken Not Stirred will perform from 2.30-5pm. Bookings available at Bravo, phone 578 4700.

WHAT: The Great Easter Egg Hunt

WHERE: Katikati Bird Gardens

TIME: Begins at midday, Easter Sunday

Come along to the ninth annual Great Easter Egg Hunt at the Katikati Bird Gardens. The Easter Egg Hunt will begin at midday. Search for life-like sisal bunnies hidden around the gardens along with numbered coloured balls. Return a ball to the cafe and kids can swap it for an Easter egg.

MONDAY

WHAT: Treasure Hunt and Eye Spy activities at Bayfair

WHERE: Bayfair Shopping Centre

TIME: Monday, All day

From Monday 9 April, children can collect eye spy and treasure hunt activity sheets from the Information Desk, located outside Kmart. Those who complete the missions will receive a small gift and if the tasks are correctly accomplished, will go into the draw to win one of three $50 Bayfair gift cards. Open for children up to 12 years of age.

WHAT: SPCA half price adoption

WHERE: Tauranga SPCA, Alach St, Greerton

TIME: 10.30am-3pm, Monday

Tauranga SPCA are offering half price adoptions on Easter Monday. Plus to celebrate Easter, an Easter egg given away with every adoption. For more information visit www.taurangaspca.co.nz

WHAT: If you need Easter holiday help, phone Healthline.

WHERE: Phone 0800 611 116

Illnesses and accidents can happen at the worst times so if you or someone in your family has a health issue this Easter, phone Healthline for free, day or night. Healthline nurses will give callers advice on the best thing to do in the case of illness or injury. They can also direct you to the nearest GP clinic or after-hours pharmacy.

Easter church services

EASTER SUNDAY

Holy Trinity Anglican Church:

8am Easter Communion - Paul Williamson

9.45am Easter Communion

10am Family Easter Service - Paul Williamson

City Church Tauranga:

9.30am Easter Service

Greerton Bible Church:

10am service

Mount Maunganui Mosaic:

10.30-11.30am service.

9.30am-1pm food, coffee, kids bouncy castle at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui

Otumoetai Baptist Church:

10am service

Tauranga Salvation Army:

7am Son-rise service at Memorial Park

10.30am family service

St. George's Anglican Church, Gate Pa:

8am Eucharist

9.30am Communion service (all ages)