Hands-on fun at Motat.
In our fantasy school holidays, there's no such thing as the relentlessly joy-crippling phrase that is "I'm bored". Here, discover Neverland, a dinosaur zoo and your sanity.
Peter Pan Jr.
Most of us have probably wished at least once over the last couple of years that we could've flown off to Neverland and not had to face the realities of adulthood in the 2020s. While that's not possible, if you head out to the Playhouse Theatre these school holidays, you can live vicariously through the wonderful young actors taking on Peter Pan Jr. The musical retelling of J.M. Barrie's classic fairy tale features catchy wee ditties like "I'm Flying", "I've Gotta Crow", "I Won't Grow Up" and "Never Never Land". The entire cast is made up of local West Auckland children aged 18 years and under, and who doesn't love seeing passionate young people performing their yet-to-be-jaded little hearts out? Let Tinker Bell sprinkle you with fairy dust and take you on a fantastical adventure.
July 16-23. The Playhouse Theatre, Glen Eden, Auckland. Tickets $20.50 + booking fee from eventfinda.co.nz
MOTAT
One week down, just 11 more days, 264 more hours of school holidays to fill. Thank goodness you can always rely on the Museum of Transport and Technology to provide hours of mind-expanding fun. These holidays they've got Urupare React up and running. It's a hands-on experience that's all about actions, reactions and how energy is transferred. If you head there tomorrow, they're also hosting one of their action-packed Live Days, all about communicating. You'll learn about how people communicate around the world and how that's changed over time. It's always fun watching kids try to figure out a rotary phone and you can really blow their minds by telling them that's how you called your friends when you were their age - and had to talk to their parents first too! It's inter-generational fun for the ages.
Open daily, 10am-4pm (Live Day tomorrow; Urupare React on until July 24). Motat, 805 Great North Rd, Western Springs, Auckland. Children (5-15) and students with ID $10; adults $19; family $45 (2 adults, up to 4 children); children under 5 free.
Archaeology and Palaeontology
Winter school holidays are for spending the day at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum letting your children explore ancient history and potential futures. These holidays it's an exercise in perspective because the incredible Ancient Greece exhibit, which takes a deep dive into the early Greek civilisation of a couple of thousand years ago, seems like recent history when compared with the more than 60-million-year-old Peter the tyrannosaurus rex, who stands proud in the South Atrium. You can pick up a Gargantuan Greek Trail Map, discover fascinating stories about the ancient Greek world all around us, follow the clues, answer the questions and go in the draw for a prize pack. Or you can get tickets to Erth's Dinosaur Zoo, an interactive performance that introduces children to the real science of palaeontology and even gives them the opportunity to get up close with these formidable beasts. Or why not do both?
Open daily; Erth's Dinosaur Zoo daily until July 31 (no Wednesday shows); Ancient Greeks daily until November 6. Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum, Auckland Domain, Parnell, Auckland. Go to aucklandmuseum.com for more information, tickets and pricing.
Elemental AKL
Aotea Square, the harbour bridge, Sky Tower, the museum and other iconic Auckland buildings have been illuminated in pink and purple the last couple of days for Elemental AKL, Tāmaki Makaurau's mid-winter festival of arts, eats and beats.
There are more than 50 events on the programme and every one's unique. There's Takurua - Nafanua, War Goddess, a contemporary Pasifika dance dinner theatre featuring a five-course neo-Pasifika meal; Nathan Haines and Steve Carr present Sound on Sound at Auckland Art Gallery; Our Land is Alive's cocktail masterclass; Drag Disco on Ice; Silent Disco City Walk; Auckland's Fried Chicken Festival as well as Elemental Nights' live performances from the likes of Nadia Reid, Louis Baker, Reb Fountain and much much more. Get a cup of tea, pull up the Elemental AKL programme and peruse the offerings. We'll bet there'll be more than a few things that whet your appetite.
July 14-31. Various locations in Tāmaki Makaurau. Visit aucklandnz.com/elemental for the full programme of events.
Tanabata
Like Aotearoa, Japan has a celestial celebration at this time of year that dates back hundreds of years. It's called Tanabata or the Star Festival and officially took place on July 7 but will be celebrated at Masu restaurant until August. If you're looking for something a little bit different to the usual dinner out, this could be for you. The restaurant looks very festive, decorated with bamboo trees, thin strips of colourful paper called tanzaku - on which you can inscribe your wishes - and thousands of lights to emulate the night sky. Mixologist Akira Ohki has put together a menu of Haku vodka cocktails to complement the always superb Japanese contemporary cuisine by chef Nic Watt. Diners also have the chance to win a trip for two to Tokyo, Japan, with six nights' accommodation and a tour of a Suntory distillery.
On now until August 13. Masu, 90 Federal St, Auckland CBD. Bookings essential at skycityauckland.co.nz/restaurants/masu
He Awa Ora - Living River
Anyone in the central North Island these holidays - or in the coming months - must make a stop at The Whanganui Regional Museum, which has recently opened a truly unique exhibition called He Awa Ora - Living River. Through a combination of ancient and new taonga, the exhibit tells the story of Te Awa Tupua, the Whanganui River which in 2017 became the first waterway in the world to be given legal personhood. The river is known as a sacred body, a food source, a battleground, a place of healing and prayer, a playground, and a connector of people, from the mountains to the sea. As citizens of Aotearoa, it's our responsibility to ensure the river continues to thrive and this exhibition is, among other things, a wonderful reminder of that.
Open daily, 10am-4.30pm. Whanganui Regional Museum, Pukenamu Queens Park, Watt St, Whanganui. FREE.
Lithuanian Film Festival
For those of you who simply can't wait any longer for the NZIFF, tomorrow you can attend the Lithuanian Film Festival at Academy Cinemas to give yourselves the film festival fix you so desperately need. Films include A Butterfly's Heart (for children); the best Lithuanian film of last year Pilgrims; Lithuanian cultural icon and film-maker Jonas Mekas' 1978 film In Between, which is screening alongside Pip Chodorov's portrait of Mekas, Jonas Keeps Shooting Around; and Mariupolis, a 2016 film by Mantas Kvedaravicius, who was tragically killed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine while filming the sequel (this screening is a fundraiser for Ukraine). This is the second year of the festival, which is put together by the Lithuanian community in Auckland. So head down that secret stairwell and enjoy some Lithuanian cinema this weekend.
July 17. Academy Cinemas, Lorne St, Auckland CBD. Tickets from academycinemas.co.nz
‘We almost lost our baby because of a toy,’ Kiwi woman says. ‘I have lost trust in them'.