The Spinoff’s top picks of events from around the motu.

From deep in Morningside, Auckland, I’ve been harassing my South Island colleagues to tell me about events happening in the south. How else is one Auckland rat supposed to know what’s going on down there? Each time Thursday creeps close (seems to happen every week) I think “Eeeeeeeeek!!!! What cool, fun things are on?” Then I turn my thought into a Slack message or online search. Imagine my delight then, when I open up the Google form for submitting events to this noticeboard and there’s a submission for an event – a whole festival – in Invercargill. And it looks very cool and very fun! Thank you treasured submitter.

There’s a reason this is called a noticeboard and not a guide or a calendar or a listing. Anyone can post on a noticeboard. Two flank the entrance to my local library, and they’re always covered in little pieces of paper pointing this way and that. The local yoga teacher is advertising her morning classes at the hall next door, someone is offering one-on-one language tuition and a dance school lists its upcoming courses. Nowhere else can you find such a wonderfully non-algorithmic selection of happenings, and often only the locals can tell you what’s really good. That’s why I want to encourage you to contribute to our noticeboard.

Performance and visual art: Night of the Arts

Invercargill City Centre, especially Don Street, Dee Street and Connections Arcade
5-9pm Friday, May 16
Free

Invercargill’s very own street-side celebration of the arts, Night of the Arts (NoTA), is back for its third year. There’s so much on – more than 20 performance artists, 15 installations, eight music groups, creation stations and surprises in nooks and crannies – that I think you should arrive on the dot to make the most of it all.

You might hear Bad Jelly the Witch, find a dance party in full swing, pop into a gallery or belt out a classic with a ukulele group or a choir. They like to say “there’s something for everyone” but it in this case it looks like there’s a lot for everyone, including children. Some highlights you may want to look out for are The Amber Temple, a dark and mystical theatrical mash-up of original music, contemporary dance and gritty storytelling; a curious kinetic experience called Musical Furniture,;the walking art train by Herding Cats; and the Poetry Pharmacist that prescribes words for the soul.

Don’t forget to rug up!

Northland

Music: Lunchtime Library Concerts

Whangārei Central Library, 5 Rust Avenue, Whangārei
12pm Friday, May 16, 23 and 30
Koha

Pop into the library at lunch for an intimate performance by one of Northland’s own.

Dance: You Can Dance

ONEONESIX, 116A Bank Street, Whangārei
9am-3pm Sunday, May 18
$15

A workshop by Jasmin Fisher-Johnson, graduate of the Unitec Contemporary Dance Degree, for everyone, even beginners.

Auckland

Music: Girls Rock Aotearoa charity launch party

The Hollywood Avondale, 20 Saint Georges Road, Avondale
6pm Saturday, May 17
$23 – $115

It’s offical, Girl’s Rock is a charity and you can support them by having some fun.

Dance: Nritya Samvaad, Conversations through Kathak

TAPAC, 100 Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland
6.30pm Friday, May 16
$30

A highly acclaimed mother and daughter duo have come from India and San Francisco to treat us to a two-and-a-half hour performance in the art of Kathak (North Indian classical dance).

Visual art: Inner Workings, Naomi Faifai

The Frame Gallery, 182 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland
9am-5pm daily until May 17
Free

An assortment of motifs – leaves, flowers, suns, waves, koru – decorate the work of Timaru artist Naomi Faifai.

Tauranga

Visual art: Time, group exhibition

Zimmerman Art Gallery, 329 Main Street, Palmerston North
11am-3pm Thursday May 15 to Sunday May 18
Free

For the gallery’s 15th birthday, eclectic works have been gathered: paintings on canvas and board, small freestanding textile sculptures, wall-mounted works in ceramic, textile and steel and more.

Hastings

Music: Heretaunga Hastings Music Trail

Begins at Rosina Eatery, 306 Eastbourne Street East, Hastings
11am-3pm Sunday, May 18
Free

“Think of it as an art trail, but for your ears: a way to explore the city, discover new talent, and enjoy Hastings hospitality – all to the soundtrack of homegrown sound.”

Wellington

Books: Hello to Everybody, Sallie Culy

Slug pop up, 30 Cuba St, Wellington
5-7pm Friday, May 16 
Free

Celebrate the launch of a joyful new book from Sallie Culy and Bad News Books at the same time as checking out the coolest pop up in town.

Nelson

Pyrotechnics: Blessing of the Fleet Fireworks Display

Tahunanui Beach, Nelson
5.30pm -midnight Friday, May 16
Free

Bring a blanket, grab some kai from the food trucks and enjoy the show.

Ōtautahi

Theatre: The End of the Golden Weather

The Court Theatre, 129 Gloucester St, Central City
6.30pm or 7.30pm most nights until Saturday, June 7
$25 – $79

A coming of age story set in a small New Zealand town in the 80s.

Ōtepoti

Fashion and visual art: Renom*d

Dunedin Public Art Gallery, 30 The Octagon, Dunedin
10am-5pm until Saturday, May 31
Free

Recreate, repurpose and rework images from an archive of NOM*d look books to make your own mosaic card tile, oh, and check out the exhibition, this is nom*d.

Southland

Theatre: BONES, Julian Noel

Arts Murihiku, 34 Forth Street, Invercargill
1pm Sunday, May 18
$20

Be prepared for some participation, difficult subjects and laughs.