The school holidays are here but don't panic, you're nearly halfway through and there are plenty of activities in the Coromandel to keep the young, and young at heart, occupied.

Saturday 15 July

As the Coromandel Classic track has changed from the Pinnacles (closed until October) to the Karaka track out of Thames, a separate concession from The Department of Conservation has been issued to put on a familiarisation event this weekend.

For further details on this event and map route click here.

Coromandel Peninsula Art and Craft Fair

Saturday 15 July

The annual fair is an initiative of the Mercury Bay Art Escape Trust, showcasing quality hand-made arts and crafts from artisans of the Coromandel Peninsula and will be held this Saturday.

Entry is by gold coin donation.

Whitianga Town Hall, Monk St.

To arrange visits with local artists click herefor further details.

School holiday activities for children also avaliable at the fair, click here for more information.

Catch Gold Fever!

1 August 2017 – 31 July 2018

A bonanza of events recapturing the momentous lure of gold in these hills is planned to run throughout the year from August 1. It begins with a dawn blessing, followed by a street parade along Pollen Street between Cochrane St and Willoughby Street in Thames - and you are invited!

Dress up in period costume if you wish and join the parade and meet outside Number One Shoes or at the Thames Museum, from 12pm followed by an official opening at 1pm at the Thames Civic Centre which will include a karakia, words from the Mayor, performance of the winning song from the songwriters' competition, and a performance by school children.

August 1 is also the opening day of two photography exhibitions – one at Bella Street Pumphouse showing photos taken by John Fields and ‘Growing with Gold’ at the Treasury, showing images of Thames from the earliest gold mining days.

Entry to 'Growing with Gold' is by gold coin donation at the meeting room of The Treasury on Queen St, Thames. This exhibition will continue to be open for public viewing on the days The Treasury is open - Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11.00am until 3.00pm, for several months.

Sunday 6 August - One of the best examples of a restored stamper battery is to be found at the Thames Goldmine Experience where after years of hard graft the Hauraki Prospectors Association officially start the newly refurbished battery and other 19th Century plant (see full story here).

Check the online calendar of events here.

Church of Christ 135th Anniversary

Sunday 23 July

A special 135th Anniversary Celebration Service at 2pm. This will be followed by Victorian High Tea. Choose your favourite decade from the last 135 years and come dressed accordingly. Break out your bell-bottoms or bustle; your boob-tube or bow-yangs! Bring photos and memories to share 135 years on "The Thames."

Venue: Church of Christ, 415 Parawai Road, Thames

Contact: Alison McIntosh Ph: 07 868 3900

Email: mcgaval@slingshot.co.nz.

Lego school holiday activities:

World's Tallest Tower: Tuesday 18 July, 10:30am
Monsters vs. Robots: Thursday 20 July, 10:30am

For more information and other District Library events follow them on Facebook here www.facebook.com/tcdclibraries.

Toddler Time will take a break for two weeks during the school holidays. It will be back on Wednesday 26 July at 10am at Mercury Bay Library and Thursday 27 July at 9:30am at Thames Library.

Mums and Bubs: every Wednesday, 10am at Tairua Library.

Book Club: every second Monday of every month the Mercury Bay book club meets at 10:30am, Nina's Café (next door to Mercury Bay library).

Discover your family history with local members of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists: third Tuesday of each month from 2pm onward the NZSG take over the Mercury Bay Library to help you discover your family history. The next session will be Tuesday 18th July. Drop in, or phone the library to book a one-on-one slot.

V.I.P. Cards: This winter, Thames-Coromandel Libraries are introducing V.I.P. loyalty cards, just like a coffee card from your favourite cafe, but instead of caffeinated goodness they will stamp your card for every $2.50 DVD or yellow sticker Pay Fiction item you borrow. Every fifth stamp will earn you a free Pay Fiction or DVD hire. The V.I.P. Card deal is valid until 31 August, so get stamping!

Book Bingo: Fun for Grown-ups - Thursday 20 July to Thursday 31 August. Registrations are now open with a launch on Thursday 20th July at 10.30am at Thames, Mercury Bay and Tairua Libraries. There will be weekly meetings reviewing and discussing books and there will also be time for a cuppa and biscuits. There will also be a major prize draw at the end of the programme. For further information click here.

The Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards

The Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards are an acknowledgement of excellence in all sectors of business within the Hauraki and Thames-Coromandel districts.

The awards will reward business excellence and showcase to the country what the Hauraki and Thames-Coromandel districts have to offer.

Entries close 31 July 2017 with the awards evening to be held 28 September 2017.

For futher details see www.haurakicoromandelbusinessawards.co.nz.

Come and visit the Coromandel Beach House at the Food Show in Auckland

27 - 30 July

The Coromandel’s appeal as a destination for lovers of artisan food and beverages will again be promoted at the Food Show in Auckland – with a delectable and diverse range of products showcasing as part of the Coromandel Food Collective.

Click here to read more.

Download our Coromandel Food Trail Guide here or grab your copy from information centres, I-Sites, libraries and Council offices, serving the needs of all foodie visitors to the Coromandel.

The Coromandel Players 40th Reunion

Friday 4 and Saturday 5 August

7.30pm, Hauraki House Theatre

A celebration of the Coromandel Players having been in existence for 40 years. Excerpts from some of the plays, music, exhibition, memories, food and drinks.

Further information can be found by contacting Liz Cameron - 1667 Manaia Road, RD 1, Coromandel or phone: 027 4941188 or 07 8668508.

Whangamata Adventure Rogaine

Saturday 5 August 2017

The Whangamata Adventure Rogaine is a new event that mixes Adventure Racing and Rogaine (a form of orienteering).

The concept is simple. You get a map with lots of checkpoints and you collect as many of them as you can in a set time.

For further details see whangamataevents.co.nz.

The Coromandel is one of the New Zealand's best hidden playgrounds for multisport and adventure athletes. From surf beaches to sub-alpine native forests, the Coromandel Classic multisport race will challenge individuals and team competitors of all abilities. This year is the 16th event, and event organisers expect the race to be bigger and better than ever.

For further details see www.coromandelclassic.co.nz.

Gold Rush Rally of Coromandel

Saturday 26 August 2017

The Coromandel will once again play host to a round of the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship on the 26th August, with the organisational team behind Rally New Zealand linking with the Thames-Coromandel District council to base an event from the seaside township of Whitianga. The rally will be based at the Mercury Bay Sports Multi-Sport Park, which will host Rally HQ and the Service Park. Competition will take place over 135 kilometres of special stage on forestry and public roads around the Mercury Bay region. The event will feature gravel roads in the area, some of which were last used for rallying on the 1979 International Motogard Rally of NZ. The event was an exciting new addition to the NZ rally calendar in 2014, and the Coromandel will provide a stunning and backdrop for round 4 of the 2017 NZ Rally Championship.

For further information on NZ Rally see www.nzrallychamps.co.nz.

Thames Market:

Every Saturday 8am-12noon - Pollen Street, Grahamstown.

Don't forget to bring your own bag, basket or box to the Thames Market, plastic carry bags are no longer allowed.

To find out more call - 07-8689841 or check out Thames Market's Facebook page here.

Run Walk Festival Whangamata

Saturday 9 September

With the half marathon (21km), the 10km and 5km events, the Whangamata Run Walk Festival offers something for participants of all ages and abilities. All three courses take in spectacular views of ocean beach & pristine bush-clad hills along the way. Enter individually, with friends and family, or gather a team together.

Further information is available on their website www.whangamatarunwalk.co.nz.

The Whitianga Scallop Festival

Saturday 16 September 2017

The Whitianga Scallop Festival is a celebration of Whitianga seafood and marine heritage, held annually in September to boost winter tourism numbers. Now in its thirteenth year, the event has grown into one of New Zealand’s iconic seafood celebrations.

Tickets for this event are now on sale, for further information visit their website www.scallopfestival.co.nz.

For more information:

For more on upcoming events see the Destination Coromandel website here.

Event organisers you can submit your own events to the Destination Coromandel events page here and it will then also appear on our TCDC website.

Also follow us on Facebook for more.

ENDS

© Scoop Media