Grab your whānau, a picnic blanket and your dancing shoes and head to one of five community New Year's Eve celebrations taking place across Tauranga on Saturday, December 31.
The family-friendly events will be at Greerton, Tauranga City Centre, Pāpāmoa, Mount Maunganui and Matua from 6pm-9.30pm.
They'll feature food trucks, local musicians, roving entertainment and more – with most celebrations finishing with fireworks displays
at 9.30pm.
Earlier celebration
Tauranga City Council disability advisor Amanda Lowry says for those who experience sensory sensitivities and/or have accessibility requirements, the Matua celebration will have an earlier celebration from 5.30pm-6pm with limited sound and crowds.
'Fergusson Park is a great place to have the accessible/low-sensory event, it's got great facilities – good accessible wharepaku (bathrooms) and parking. Families can bring their kids along for the earlier event, then stay on a bit longer into the main event if everything is going well.” She recommends people with sensory sensitives come prepared.
'Bring along some headphones and something to sit on if you need some time out.”
A fireworks display will kick-off 9.30pm to mark the end of the community celebrations at all events except Greerton, where a laser light show will take place.
Fireworks will go off again at midnight across the city to welcome in 2023. People are encouraged to watch these from home.
New Year's Eve Tauranga community events, 6pm-5.30pm at Gordon Spratt Reserve, Pāpāmoa; Tauranga Waterfront; Fergusson Park, Matua; Tauranga Racecourse, Greerton; Blake Park Mount Maunganui.
Find out more: tauranga.govt.nz/new-years-eve