Bay News Bites: Buckets of enthusiasm for sandcastle contest

Jaime Smith and Tracy Meredith of Kerikeri put the finishing touches to a space rocket in last year's Paihia Summer Festival. Photos / Peter de Graaf

A weekly round-up of news snippets, events and oddities from the Bay of Islands and around the Mid North

Parents wondering how to keep the kids entertained in the Bay of Islands need worry no longer.

The annual Summer Festival is returning to Paihia this Saturday, starting with the popular sandcastle contest. Other events during the nine-day child-friendly festival include a fishing contest, a circus workshop and pavement art.

All activities in the Business Paihia-organised festival are free.

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
Saturday, January 3
• Sandcastle competition, Paihia Beach (Kings Rd end). Start anytime; judging at 4.30pm and prize-giving at 5pm.

Sunday, January 4
• Beach dig, Paihia Beach, 11am, for kids aged 4-10. Games and barbecue from 9am.

Monday, January 5
• Walking photography safari, starts at Wairoa Bay (past the Treaty Grounds and golf course) at 10am. Kids, bring a digital camera and an adult.

Tuesday, January 6
• Kids' Fishing Contest, register at Paihia Dive on Williams Rd from 9.30am, fishing from 10.30-11.30am. Bring a hand line or rod; bait supplied.

CATCH: Pippiana Voakes of Paihia caught the biggest fish last year at the Summer Festival Kids' Fishing Contest.

• Circus Workshop led by performers of the Biggest Little Circus, Village Green, 4pm.

Wednesday, January 7
• Street smart funky art pavement drawing and shadow chalk drawing, Post Office mall, 10am. Judged by photographer Frank Habicht.

• Amazing race, starts at Horotutu Park, 2pm. For pairs or groups; adult supervision needed.

Thursday, January 8
• Wearable arts, Paihia School marae, 10am. All materials supplied.

• Flippa ball, Haruru Falls Panorama Resort, 2.30pm. A fast, simple version of water hockey played in the pool. For kids aged 8 and up.

Friday, January 9
• Kids duathlon (running/kayaking), registration 9am, start 9.30am. Team and individual events for kids aged 6 and up.

• Monster mural painting, Post Office mall, 1pm. Wear old clothes and bring an adult. Includes squirt-gun painting.

Saturday, January 10
• Fun on the green, Village Green, 10am. Old-fashioned games such as three-legged, wheelbarrow and egg-and-spoon races.

• Mystery trail, Waitangi Treaty Grounds entrance, 1.30pm.

Sunday, January 11
• Build a boat challenge, Paihia Beach, 10am. Contestants have to build their own boat then row it to a buoy and back. Materials and lifejackets provided.

Free events
For the first time, this year's Summer Festival will be followed by an 11-day free school holiday programme with activities ranging from karaoke and hip-hop dancing to Maori culture workshops. All events will be in Paihia and Waitangi.

Grants available
About $200,000 is being made available to community groups and organisations under the Far North District Council's new District Community Grants Scheme.

The annual scheme gives priority to capital projects in the fields of amateur sport, recreation and culture and complements the Community Grants Fund administered by the district's three community boards.

Grants will be available for projects that have a business plan and where the club or group has already raised enough money to complete a project, other than the council funding requested.

Applicants need to be legal entities with a high level of transparency and accountability. Organisations which are mainly central government funded or which provide welfare services are not eligible.

Application forms are available from www.fndc.govt.nz or council service centres. The closing date is January 30.

Award for Arco
A Kaikohe enterprise which aims to help youth into training and employment has won an award for its efforts to engage with the community.

Arco Popup was opened in a long vacant shop on Broadway earlier this month by three women in their 30s - Ana Heremaia, Ruby Watson and Felicity Brenchley - who plan to set up a furniture design business and youth training scheme.

Since then, they have a series of events and free workshops, earning them a $1000 award for best community engagement in the Akina Foundation's Launchpad accelerator programme.

The judges said they were impressed by Arco's efforts to engage with a wide group of stakeholders and the way they had built relationships and partnerships.

Akina Launchpad is helping 11 social enterprises around the country with hands-on business mentoring and development support.

Hands-on help
Auckland therapist Kim Knight is holding a two-hour Qi Therapy healing workshop at Kerikeri's Kingston House on January 21.

Qi healing is based on Qigong, which Ms Knight described as a simpler version of Tai Chi which helped her overcome chronic fatigue syndrome. Entry by koha. See www.artofhealth.co.nz for information.

Paki sings
Kiwi singer-songwriter Emma Paki will perform at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel tomorrow. The show is at 6pm. A late ferry will return to Paihia at midnight.

Quilts on show
The Kerikeri Quilters are holding a quilt exhibition on January 16-17 at the St John Ambulance Hall on Kerikeri Rd. Entry by gold coin donation. Proceeds to St John Kerikeri youth division.

• Do you have news or an upcoming event you'd like to see in this column? Send it to us, including your full contact details, to baynews@northern advocate.co.nz.