What’s on in Taupō and Tūrangi
Emergency Services Day is on this Sunday, March 9.
Here’s a few events on in the district over the next week or two.
Emergency Services Day
Emergency Services Day is back and bigger and better than ever!
The event is on March 9 at Kaimanawa Reserve in Taupō, from 9am to 1pm.
This year’s event will showcase more of the district’s emergency first responders than ever with displays from Fire and Emergency, NZ Police, Hato Hone St John, Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, Lake Taupō Harbour Master, Land Search and Rescue, Coastguard, and Civil Defence Taupō.
There will be games, kid's activities, live demonstrations - including Fire and Emergency extracting a patient from a crushed car - and a Greenlea Helicopter landing (weather and call-out dependent). A fundraising sausage sizzle for a Greenlea Helicopter winch will also be on site.
Taupō District Council’s road safety coordinator Sarah Wraight said it was a fun day out for the whole family and a reminder that people need to take responsibility for their safety.
“Whether that be driving on the road, at home or hiking in the bush. We can all play a part in being prepared and reducing accidents.”
Music in the gardens
Music in the Gardens is being held at the Waipahihi Botanical Reserve on Sunday, March 9 from 11am-1pm.
The programme features outstanding local talent and a selection of styles - Taupō Concert Band, Taupō Brass Band, a string orchestra, bagpipes, and BlissNZ duo will perform.
There are nature activities for children organised by Kids Greening Taupo, and a sausage sizzle.
There is limited seating available so bring a rug or chair, a picnic, and family and friends.
Parking on Shepherd Road and Hyde Avenue. If a short walk is difficult, there is parking near the performance area beside the main building. The event is free event but donations are welcome.
Photo: 250203-CM-March midday concert
Caption: Dave Flynn will kick off the 2025 Midday Concert series with a 5.30pm concert.
Midday Concert Series
The 2025 series of midday concerts kick off in March with Dave Flynn’s Celtic Guitar Journey and an evening time slot.
Flynn - an award-winning Irish composer and musician - presents beautiful guitar arrangements of Irish and Scottish traditional music as well as those with a New Zealand flavour.
Amalgamating orchestral, jazz, rock and folk elements with deft understanding, his compositions have been performed by the Prague Chamber Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, New Juilliard Ensemble, and the New Zealand String Quartet, who he joins up with once again in Wellington while on this current tour.
The concert on Friday, March 7 will showcase the great acoustics in St Andrew’s Anglican Church. Doors open at 5pm with the hour-long concert starting at 5.30pm. Entry is $15.
Improv workshops
Think ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ and then think ‘it’s my turn, I’ll take it.’
An improvisation workshop being held at Centre Stage in March should whet the stage aspirations of local actors, says workshop organiser Toni Sullivan.
“Learning to improvise teaches you to be generous with your acceptance of other people’s ideas, but also giving your own ideas, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable
“Whether you’re opening a business, moving into management – it teaches a lot of life skills, allows for creativity, really builds team and self-confidence – skills that anyone can actually use.”
But she didn’t deny it can also lead to new talent pitching up to audition for the next Centre Stage production.
Visiting tutors for the day-long workshop on March 15, Leona Revel and Alan Dingley, had a wealth of experience in teaching improvisation, said Sullivan.
“They are really passionate about people doing new things and see learning how to improvise as a way to foster community engagement through inclusive performance projects.”
Those interested in enrolling for one of the 24 spaces for adults (18 and over) should visit the Centre Stage website.
The Saturday workshop will be preceded by one for youth on Friday, involving 24 drama students from Taupō schools.