A mix of new and regular events are receiving funding from the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund’s second funding round for 2024/2025.

The 23 funded events include crowd favourites Holi Colour Splash and the Pasifika Festival in the Bay, alongside new events The Mount Pickleball Classic and TEDx Omokoroa.

The Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund was designed to support and enhance local community events through grants, so locals and visitors would have a broad range of events to experience and enjoy throughout the year.

The second funding round of this year resulted in $202,268 awarded to the 23 locally funded events.

The fund opens more opportunities for event organisers as they can access funding from organisations they were previously unable to if they did not have a not-for-profit status.

Almost $470,000 has been granted to community events throughout Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty from the first and second rounds of funding; leaving a further $440,000 available for the remaining 2024/2025 funding rounds.

Eves Surfbreaker Triathalon. Photo supplied.

The 23 events granted funding for round two are spread over the remaining months of 2024 and into summer 2025. These events are all community-driven events, aiming to enrich the local communities through active participation and inclusion. 

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s community and strategic relationships manager, Jodie Rickard, says this round’s events include some regular, well-loved events as well as new events to the region.

“It’s great to see that this collaborative fund is continuing to support community events of all shapes and sizes, ensuring that our locals and visitors have endless event options to attend,” she says.

BayTrust chief executive, Alastair Rhodes agrees, sharing that he gets excited learning about all the different events that suit those interested in arts and culture, sports, Christmas celebrations and those events tailored to more specific groups of the community.

“It’s great that this fund allows for more events to take place and showcases the diversity and opportunities we have in Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty,” he says. 

SIKH Parade. Photo supplied.

Funding recipient’s events:

- RSE Sports Festival held from 22 to 24 August 2024 at Blake Park.

- The Mount Pickleball Classic held from 30 August to 1 September 2024 at Mercury Baypark Arena.

- Climate Action Festival held from 14 to 20 September 2024 at various locations around Tauranga.

- Youth Philharmonic Tauranga September Concert held on 14 September 2024 at St Peters.

- Spring Clean & Pizza Party held on 20 September 2024 at Te Puke Town Centre / Daily Café.

- Te Puke Sikh Parade held on 21 September 2024 at Gurudwara Temple, Te Puke.

- Move with You Waihi Beach held from 4 October to 3 November 2024 at Waihi Beach.

- Tauranga Whetu Star Awards held from 25 to 27 October 2024 at Baycourt.

- Te Puke Treat Trail held on 31 October 2024 at Downtown Te Puke.

- Te Puke Diwali Festival held on 1 November 2024 at Gurudwara Temple, Te Puke.

- TEDx Omokoroa held on 2 November 2024 at Omokoroa Pavillion.

- 2024 Pasifika Festival In the Bay held on 2 November 2024 at Katikati College.

- GENX/Marra Tinman Triathlon held on 24 November 2024 at Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui.

- Te Puke Christmas Parade held on 30 November 2024 at Downtown Te Puke.

- NZ Beach 5's Rugby Festival held on 1 December 2024 at Mount Maunganui Main Beach.

- Omokoroa Carols in the Park held on 7 December 2024 at Western Ave, Omokoroa.

- Eves Surfbreaker Triathlon held on 27 December 2024 at Mount Maunganui Main Beach.

- Tauranga A&P 141st Lifestyle Show held on 15 February 2025 at Tauranga Racecourse Reserve.

- Calley Homes Womens Triathlon held on 16 February 2025 at Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui.

- 2025 Holi Colour Splash held on 8 March 2025 at Memorial Park.

- Marra Sprint Triathlon held 9 March 2025 at Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui.

- 2025 Echo Walking Festival held from 1 to 20 April 2025 at Waihi Beach.

- Te Puke Easter Trail held on 19 April 2025 at Jubilee Park.

The Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund website has more details on these, and other events supported by the Fund.

Applications for round three of the TWBCEF are now open through www.communityeventfund.nz

Fund partners, Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT and Western Bay of Plenty District Council are inviting new community event applications to be submitted before the 20 August 2024 cut-off date.

Decisions for round three will be released by 20 September 2024.

The maximum funding cap per event is $50,000 for events in Tauranga and $15,000 for Western Bay of Plenty events.