On Saturday 30 January 2016, the Prohibition Big Band is again playing for the annual Mahurangi Regatta Prize-Giving and Dance at beautiful Scott’s Landing, an hour’s drive north of Auckland.
The public are most welcome to attend.
1 pm–2.30 pm Friends of Regional Parks sand sculpture. Prizes for under 7 years, 7 to 11 years, 12 to 16 years, adults—Theme: Regatta and the regional parks
1.30 pm–2.30 pm Idle Alongs, Mistrals (contact Katharine Sampson), and hopefully many other classes
2.00 pm Shoreside events resume—running, three-legged, sack, spud and spoon, water run, egg throwing (enter by presenting at starting line)
3.30 pm–4.30 pm Retrieval of trailered boats associated with regatta, at Sullivans Bay
4.00 pm Tug-of-war
4.15 pm Humongous annual egg-throwing competition
4.30 pm Lolly scramble (grand finale of shoreside events)
Mahurangi Regatta Prize-Giving and Dance
Scotts Landing
Revived by Mahurangi Action in 2004 in the form of a regatta ball as the grand finale of Warkworth’s 150th celebrations, then as a prize-giving dance, the traditional format, from the following year. In 2011, ex-tropical cyclone Wilma cancelled the regatta, and in 2012 a combination of mediocre weather and a lack of financial support precluded the event, but from 2013, largely thanks to the support of the Rodney Local Board, and from 2014 with additional help from Auckland Council’s regional events fund, the future of the prize-giving dance has been secured.
Free use of gas barbecues—no ‘bar and burgers’ since 2010
There is no longer a cash bar nor burgers for sale. From 2013, the format returned to that of the prize-giving dance that prevailed before the regatta lapsed during World War II, when it was on bring-your-own basis. This makes the event much less financially risky, particularly when wild and/or wet weather intervenes, as it did, spectacularly, in 2011.
Mahurangi Regional Park and all 28 other region parks are now smoke free.
1.00 pm-ish The free Scotts Landing regatta shuttle commences operation: +64 21 123 3725
6.00 pm Pre-prize-giving trio/quartet performs
6.30 pm Prize-giving dance commences: Prohibition Big Band
7.00 pm Prize giving
8.00 pm Prize-giving dance resumes: Prohibition Big Band
11.00 pm Last dance
11.10 pm Last call for the free Scotts Landing regatta shuttle: +64 27 462 4872