The Tauranga Arts Festival programming is second to none, said one of the locals SunLive spoke to on the eve of the event’s launch.

Talented local musician Ria Hall believed “it takes a level of mastery and magic to hit the nail on the artistic head” and, in her eyes, the October 23–November 2 Tauranga Arts Festival was set to achieve just that.

“There was something for everyone, which made the festival so cool and accessible,” she enthused.

The tough bit, Hall said, had been deciding what she would go to see. She had a top four listing that featured musician Tami Neilson’s Neon Cowgirl; the Waiata Mai public sing-along; and storyteller and actress Anapela Polata’ivao (of Tinā movie fame). Jenny-May Clarkson’s presentation of her book Full Circle also got a big tick — in fact, Ria hosted “the incomparable” Clarkson’s session and said she felt honoured to do so.

Hall had been a Neilson fan “for the longest time” and couldn’t wait to see “the powerhouse herself” in her element.

She looked forward to hearing Anapela Polata’ivao speak about her journey from Samoa to Aotearoa and beyond and expected to be pulled in by her storytelling magnificence.

Hall urged people to bring their whānau to Waiata Mai, “a waiata session of epic proportions”.

The free event was fronted by the Tuatara Collective Choir and curated by her cousin, Jason Te Mete.

Other locals spoken to on the cusp of the Tauranga Arts Festival enthused over yet more events.

Kevin Schuler. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga City councillor and former All Black Kevin Schuler loved comedy, music and was a self-professed closet poet, so said the programme held much to tempt.

Neilson was a definite – “anyone who has shared the stage with music royalty Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan was a must-see”, Schuler said.

All The Things I Wish I Could Be also had great pulling power.“I loved a bit of comedy and grew up on the same great dreams, so this was right in my wheelhouse of entertainment,” he said.

Tickets had also been bought for Cirque Bon Bon, as instructed by his wife, Michelle.

“But I was pretty visual, so was really looking forward to this high-energy, action-packed spectacle.”

Schuler said he would try to get to other events too, like Wham Bam Poetry Slam.

“I was a bit of a closet poet, so liked the look of that one.”

Regrettably, he was away and missed others of interest.

“I loved a good singalong so would have been at Battle Chorus; and Michelle and I would have enjoyed the disco dance-fest, Queens of Disco."

Michelle Griffin, second from left. Photo / Supplied

UNO magazine co-owner Michele Griffin had Cirque Bon Bon and Undergrand – Piano in the Wild in her sights… and of course Hayley Sproull’s The Baroness show, sponsored by UNO.

Griffin said she relished any opportunity to “share a little magic and fun” with her 7-year-old granddaughter, so they went to Cirque Bon Bon.

Undergrand – Piano in the Wild involved piano performances in key Tauranga/Mt Maunganui localities and Griffin planned to be there to soak up the tunes at Mt Maunganui beach. The baby grand with the ocean as its backdrop promised to be amazing, she enthused.

“I was incredibly proud that our publication was a sponsor of the Tauranga Arts Festival, which was such an important celebration of creativity in our region,” she said.

Michael Julian – a local DJ (Dub Down Deluxe) and co-partner of Papamoa’s The Island – had Ozi Ozaa as his top-of-the-list festival favourite.

“It was really hard to narrow it down with such an awesome festival lineup, but I loved Afrobeat and was stoked to play some of my record collection in the Festival Garden before the Ozi Ozaa show.”

Julian also looked forward to C.W. Stone King and Te Radar’s Cookbookery.

Michael Julian. Photo / Supplied

“I grew up on my Dad’s blues collection, which instilled a passion for all things musical from around the Deep South and the Carrus Crystal Palace suited that vibe to a tee, so I was really looking forward to C.W. Stone King.

“As for Te Radar, he was funny as heck and it was great to take the mickey out of our unique culinary past,” Julian said.

To find out more about all the events mentioned above – and others – and to buy tickets, see http://www.taurangafestival.co.nz.