Festival Of Disability Sport Celebrates All Abilities This May

The Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport is an inclusive celebration of adaptive sports taking place this May in Tauranga.

The festival brings together physically disabled athletes from across New Zealand and celebrates ability at all levels across a range of sports.

Held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May 2025, the event will take place across three venues. Mercury Baypark Arena sees a two-day Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, Boccia, Cricket, Rugby League, Badminton and Inclusive Play. Bowls, Petanque and Croquet will be held at Club Mount Maunganui and Sailing at Sulphur Point.

“The annual festival is a wonderful opportunity for our whaikaha (physically disabled) athletes to connect and provides them with a platform to showcase their passion and skills”, says Festival Co-ordinator Suzanne Morrison from Parafed Bay of Plenty.

“Whether you are there to participate or spectate, it is going to be a lot of fun and we welcome everyone to join us in celebrating these wonderful athletes.”

“Across the various activities, we have a mix of ages and abilities, including our Play Programme for the youth members.”

A highlight of the festival is the have-a-go sessions which are fully inclusive for all to enjoy. Anybody with a physical disability, including low vision and hearing impairments are welcome along with their whanau and friends.

Parafed Bay of Plenty Executive Officer, Ian McDonald says that it is wonderful to see the festival grow to over 150 athletes in 2024.

“Over the last five years since the festival started, we have continued to add more sports which shows the growth in disability sports. Being able to offer a wide range of sports for people to try at grassroots level is vital. With pathways through to the Paralympics, sport can offer life changing experiences for our physically disabled community.”

A new addition this year is Physical Disability Rugby League. The festival includes a league skills and drills session with The Warriors Community Team and Bay of Plenty Rugby League.

The event is supported by the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) which has supported the festival for over three years.

The fund is a partnership between local funders Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, TECT, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council with the core purpose of supporting community-led events and that encourages participation for free or at low-cost.

“Events like the Festival of Disability Sport are incredibly important for connection, celebration, and empowerment. Sport gives people a strong sense of purpose and achievement, and we’re proud to support this event through our event funding. It’s about creating a more inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to participate,” says Nelita Byrne, Manager, Venues and Events at Tauranga City Council.

The festival concludes with an awards evening on Saturday night for tournament attendees, community groups and award nominees. The awards recognize outstanding achievements, performance and service in festival sporting codes over the last twelve months.

Event Details:

Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport

• Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May 2025.

• Events held at Mercury Baypark Arena, Club Mount Maunganui & Sulphur Point • See https://parafedbop.co.nz/healthvision-festival-of-disability-sport for the full schedule of events.

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