Hot to Trot

A large contingent of hot rods and custom-built cars will be cruising the Bay of Islands in April.

The inaugural event is called ‘Cruz ‘n’ the Bayz’. Entrants will initially get together
at the Waitangi Sports Ground for registration before cruising to Kawakawa via Opua.

The drivers and passengers will then take time out to visit the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway and have a look around Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park before going to Kaikohe Pioneer Village and then back to Paihia for more cruising. That’s just day one.

Over three days, the like-minded classic car, hot rod, muscle car and bike enthusiasts will travel through the Bay of Islands in their vehicles of choice, going to towns that are supporting the event with music, entertainment and local cuisine – Paihia, Kerikeri, Kawakawa and Kaikohe. They will park up in each town to give locals the chance to view the cars.

The event takes place from April 28 – 30 and is run under the umbrella of the National Street Rod Association Northland (NRSA), of which the organising committee are all members.

Heading the committee is Shane Tasker, who said they are expecting over 200 cars from all over the country and that the event is also a fundraiser.

“St John Ambulance is the beneficiary for our event. They go above and beyond to help the community, and they will be supporting the event by being at the headquarters tent at Waitangi Sports Ground over the weekend.

“The intention is to bring an economic boost to Northland and, in the future, there are plans to take the event further, to the Far North,” he said.

Days two and three will be spent in Whangaroa Harbour, Kerikeri, Opua and Russell before the vehicles return to Paihia. There is a “burnout” competition (slow cooking with barbecue masters), a Miss 60s Diva competition and a variety of other random prizes which have been donated by various businesses,

Participants can go into the draw to win a trip to Rarotonga for two with flights and accommodation included.

Jazz Festival for Kerikeri

An inaugural jazz festival is taking place in Kerikeri in March. It has been initiated by the Kerikeri Jazz Club and the Kerikeri Community Charitable Trust in partnership with Craigs Investment Partners.

It is somewhat ambitiously called the Kerikeri Summer Jazz Festival, based on the assumption we get a summer, and takes as its inspiration festivals such as those in Newport, New Orleans and, closer to home, Tauranga and Waiheke Island.

The musicians are from various countries including Cuba, Chile, Peru, England, Scotland and New Zealand.

Nine-piece Latin band Ke lo Ke is based in Auckland, and two of the musicians in the group are coming from Wellington specifically for the Kerikeri gig. They produce sounds from Afro-Cuban roots – think Buena Vista Social Club, Irakere or Juan Formell’s Los Van Van.

Also in the lineup is the 18-piece orchestra Basin City Big Band from (not surprisingly) Whangarei, who will be playing classic big band jazz from the swing era all the way up to more contemporary music from the 1950s through to the 1990s.

Then there’s the Little Band from Kerikeri – its members are Bruce McKinnon on vibraphone and drums, John Bell on cornet and drums and Alan Thomas on fretless bass.

Also playing will be The John Leigh Calder Quartet. John is an international vocalist, double bassist, songwriter and recording artist who started his music career in Whangarei before moving to Australia and then to England.

Kerikeri Jazz Club was formed in 2016 by Melanie Chandler-Winters and Denis Winters.

Melanie has spent 40 years in various roles in events and venue management and is currently Far North Creative Adviser for Creative Northland. Denis is a veteran musician who has provided backing for national and international artists.

The Kerikeri Summer Jazz Festival is on March 5. Doors open at noon at the Bay of Islands (Kerikeri) Golf Club, Golf Road, Kerikeri.

Community workshops in Paihia

A community workshop was held in Paihia in January to discuss the development of the Paihia waterfront.

The workshop was chaired by David Engwicht from Creative Communities and the conversation centered around Horotutu (the green-space park on the waterfront) and Manukaihuia, more commonly known as Maiki Hill.

Those who took part had a walk through the town and two days at the Copthorne Resort Hotel to brainstorm ideas.

Leading up to the workshop was a “social pinpoint” discussion run by the Far North District Council which gave those participating the opportunity to put forward ideas.

The primary focus is to widen the footpath from Horotutu to the bluff. Next is to install intertidal steps leading down from Horotutu to the water. Design and fundraising for this project is earmarked to be completed by April 2023. The Manukaihuia improvements to the top of the hill will require further consultation after that date.

Various other projects which come under the refurbishment umbrella include decluttering the entrance to Horotutu, removing the rusting waterfront railing, installing a nib wall, replacing the seating around the pōhutukawa trees, installing a moveable rotunda, upgrading the existing lighting, refurbishing the fountain and landscaping the nature area.

It is also hoped to replace the current boardwalk with a concrete footpath, install seats and tables outside the i-Site, widen the footpath to Maiki Hill and install a hand-painted Huia bird at either end of the toilet block, or as a separate, stand-alone item. This is dependent on input from the hapū.

A working group facilitated the workshops in conjunction with Focus Paihia Community Trust.