Rotorua Weekender

Rain doesn’t dampen Six60

Great to see people coming together to enjoy music again

- Shauni James

Hi everyone, I hope you have all had a great week and have managed to keep dry throughout this indecisive weather.

I was one of the hundreds of people who filed into the Rotorua Stadium last Saturday for the Six60 Saturdays concert, and it was an awesome time!

The bands were amazing and it was great to see so many people coming together to enjoy music after the past few years.

I have to say getting caught in an absolute downpour while waiting to go in, and then being soaking wet the whole time, wasn’t what I had hoped for, but it was still good fun with friends.

Did you go along?

Next week is Local Heritage Week and it sounds like there are some great events on the programme, with something for all ages.

I think the Amazing Race around the Government Gardens is such a cool idea — it’s a beautiful location we have here in Rotorua and there is so much history to discover among it.

I’m also very keen to go along to the Rotorua Heritage Road Show to see what sorts of items people will bring along, and to learn about the stories behind them.

I think history is fascinatin­g (it was certainly one of my favourite subjects in school), and it is important for us to know about our local heritage so we can understand who we are today.

Make sure you check out the full Local Heritage Week programme, as there is bound to be something that interests you!

It was also a pleasure this week to catch up with Year 11 Rotorua Lakes High School student Brock Aitchison about the Willy Wonka dance production he has choreograp­hed.

It sounds like he has been extremely busy choreograp­hing different routines for many events this year, and it is a real passion of his.

We have such amazing creativity among our local youth, don’t we?

Find out all the details about his show and how you can check it out on the next page.

Last week we had a story on the Light Up Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail. This week we have the details on the Rotorua Christmas parade and how you can enter a float or walk/ dance group, so there is no denying that Christmas is quickly approachin­g.

You can read about the parade on the next page.

I’m so excited about the festive events coming up in our community — it is such a feel-good time.

And speaking of exciting and feelgood events, the Rotorua Daily Post

Christmas Appeal for the local Salvation Army Foodbank launched last Saturday.

There are some great fundraisin­g events coming up for the appeal, including this year’s Fill the Bus which is always an awesome day.

Check out page 10 for a few appeal related stories and all the informatio­n on how you can contribute.

There is so much more to read about in this week’s edition, with some including a wrap of Crankworx Rotorua, a local firefighte­r who helped with battling the Australian bush fires being given a “rare and special honour” by the Australian government, lots of photos from Te Arawa Primary Schools Regional Kapa Haka, and more. So, I’ll let you get reading!

Don’t forget to keep those thumbs ups and downs rolling in.

Take care, until next time. Shauni

 ?? Photo / File ?? In conversati­on with Ann Somerville, Josie Scott will reminisce about growing up in
hinemutu as part of Local Heritage Week.
Photo / File In conversati­on with Ann Somerville, Josie Scott will reminisce about growing up in hinemutu as part of Local Heritage Week.
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