This Weekend: Adrenalin-filled activities

Get ready for an adrenalin-filled weekend. Photos / Thinkstock, NZ Herald

We love a long weekend, how spoilt we are to have them back to back. Here's what's happening in Auckland - make the most of that extra day off.

I'm cleaning out cupboards and hoping to at least finish my Breaking Bad season 1 box this weekend. But for normal outgoing people, you can expect high energy and wild times as the city covers itself in adrenalin - animals, minerals and ... well, whatever roaring V8s are.

1: Calling all petrolheads

Photo / Greg Bowker

V8 Supercars are roaring around Pukekohe this weekend at the ITM 500 Auckland, for a blissful time for all the petrolheads. If you only like the smell of high octane in smaller doses, the organisers have also created a Family Fun Zone where the kids can meet Lightning McQueen, chill out and watch Disney's Planes and explore the fantastic new Planes-themed inflatable zone, or test their pedal power on the World Grand Prix Training Track.

Take the Northern Express bus, special event trains (free with ITM 500 ticket) or if you're up to it the Fan Trail, enjoyed by thousands of motorsport fans last year, is back with a more direct route to get you to and from the racing action faster.

Details: Today and tomorrow, 10am - 4pm, Pukekohe Park Raceway, 222-250 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe.

2: Time to get muddy

NZ Herald reporter Steve Deane with actor Pua Magasiva on the Tough Mudders course. Photo / Dean Purcell

Tough Mudders tough it out with the Global Adventure Challenge. Not for wimps, this R18 event, created by a former British Special Forces counter-terrorism agent has regular civilians grinding it out over a 20km course with mud, fire, ice-water, a greasy quarter-pipe and live electrical wire obstacles.

Details: Today and tomorrow, 8am-9pm. Hampton Downs Motor Sport Park, Hampton Downs Road, Te Kauwhata. Entry from $79-$240.

3: Beastly

Photo / Thinkstock

Shooting wildlife is so last century, which is why the exquisite animal shots in the international Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition are so rare - and sensational. The 100 images, picked from over 43,000 entries from 96 countries, will make you put aside your smartphone and long for real cameras and real landscape pictures.

Details: Until August 3, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Domain Dr, Auckland Domain. Free.

4: Art in the park

Auckland's Albert Park. Photo / Michael Craig

The Waitemata Board of Auckland Council is hosting the city's first POP park art event. With pop-up experiences in streets, down laneways, at beaches and in parks, POP opens this weekend with Richard Orjis' spiral staircase surrounding Albert Park's majestic Moreton Bay fig tree - a 'bee's eye view' of the world. Look out for kids creating pollen palaces for bees, planting wild flower art and more.

Details: Until May 4, during daylight hours. Albert Park, Princes St, Auckland. Free.

5: Hard-core laughs

In our book, laughing is a much better way to bring on the good mood vibes than any of your adrenalin thingies. Be it daring and crazy, or safe and chuckly, there's an act (or 10) to tickle your funny bone at this weekend's opening shows for the Comedy Festival. On Saturday there is Stand up for Kids, shows from Stuart Goldsmith, Stephen K Amos and our own Sam Simmons, Rose Matafeo and Nic Sampson, with more on Monday.

Details: Until Saturday May 17.

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- www.nzherald.co.nz