logo
International Circus Extravaganza Debuts In Tauranga, Taranaki And The Hawke's Bay

International Circus Extravaganza Debuts In Tauranga, Taranaki And The Hawke's Bay

Scoop28-06-2025
An international, high-profile circus spectacle will be coming to NZ this year for the first time, taking to the stage in three provincial cities.
Cirque Bon Bon, which has been likened to Cirque du Soleil, is set to delight the crowds in Taranaki, Tauranga, and Hawke's Bay thanks to a collaboration between three leading Arts Festivals - Reimagine Festival (Taranaki), Tauranga Arts Festival, and Hawke's Bay Arts Festival. The just-announced NZ visit, in October, will be hot on the heels of sold-out tours in Australia, where this talented circus troupe thrilled multi-generational audiences.
Tauranga Arts Festival General Manager Sarah Cotter says there's great excitement wrapped around this festival offering as Cirque Bon Bon is a high-octane international act featuring a fusion of circus, dance and comedy. Plus, it's suitable for all ages.
'Get your tickets now and start getting excited as Cirque Bon Bon will burst on the stage to deliver an extravaganza of mind-bending contortion, sensational dancers, gravity-defying acrobatic stunts and more than a few laughs. Tauranga, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay - and visitors to those areas - should prepare to be wowed,' Sarah enthuses.
Cirque Bon Bon has been likened to Cirque du Soleil for good reason. It has been created by former Cirque du Soleil director Ash Jacks and choreographer Julieann Nugent.
In the words of Ash: 'We've used every last trick in the book to make this show something you just can't look away from.'
The excited Tauranga, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay arts festival organisers say in the past people from the provinces had travelled to the bigger cities to see circus spectacles. Now the magic is coming to their cities.
Cirque Bon Bon will be hosted by the 'outrageously funny' Mario, Queen of the Circus. Under his watch, daring skill will blend with striking style in a fast-paced celebration of what's been described as 'a celebration of beauty and bravery with a killer soundtrack and breathtaking visuals'.
Cirque Bon Bon will feature first in Taranaki on October 9-12 at TSB Showplace. Tickets are available at: reimaginefestival.co.nz and Eventfinda. This will be followed by the Hawke's Bay on October 17,18 at Toi Toi: Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre, with tickets available from HBAF.co.nz or via EventFinda. Four performances will be held in Tauranga from October 23-25. Tickets can be bought via Tauranga Art Festival's site taurangafestival.co.nz or Eventfinda
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Synthony Festival 2026 lineup announced: The Exponents, The Black Seeds, joining Faithless and Peking Duk
Synthony Festival 2026 lineup announced: The Exponents, The Black Seeds, joining Faithless and Peking Duk

NZ Herald

time5 days ago

  • NZ Herald

Synthony Festival 2026 lineup announced: The Exponents, The Black Seeds, joining Faithless and Peking Duk

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Synthony Festival conductor Sarah-Grace Williams will return for the 2026 event. You've heard The Exponents at the pub, by the beach and during every summer BBQ – but the Kiwi rockers will sound completely different when they reunite for the Mānuka Phuel Synthony Festival in March. The Why Does Love Do This To Me hitmakers will perform in Auckland's Domain on March 21 as part of the one-day festival, where bands reimagine their music with the help of an orchestra. It will be The Exponents' first Auckland show in three years. 'We are so looking forward to getting back together to play at Synthony in the Domain',' a statement from the band says. 'We have watched this event get bigger by the minute and are honoured to have been asked to be part of it. Bring your picnic, and more importantly, your voice. We're going to be on fire.' The Exponents will play at Synthony Festival 2026. Frontman Jordan Luck and crew join the lineup alongside international acts including Faithless, Peking Duk, Hot Dub Time Machine and local favourites The Black Seeds. More acts will be announced closer to the festival.

Creative companions to launch fest programme
Creative companions to launch fest programme

Otago Daily Times

time01-08-2025

  • Otago Daily Times

Creative companions to launch fest programme

Kiwi artist and author Dick Frizzell will be part of a special event in Queenstown next month. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Two of the country's most celebrated visual artists, and great mates, will launch this year's Queenstown Writers Festival programme. Painter Dick Frizzell's coming to Queenstown to discuss his new memoir, Hastings, with Central Otago's Sir Grahame Sydney on August 31. Writers fest chair Tanya Surrey's delighted the titans of Aotearoa art have agreed to be part of the programme launch, details of which will be revealed after the pair's chat. Frizzell's known for his kiwiana paintings, including 'Mickey to Tiki', along with landscapes and still life, but he's also a gifted story-teller — Hastings, his fifth book, is a childhood memoir and love letter to a small regional town and his parents. Described as "funny, big-hearted and sharply drawn", it includes 30 short stories, each conjuring a moment of his Hawke's Bay childhood. Kiwi artist and author Sir Grahame Sydney will be part of a special event in Queenstown next month. Meantime Sir Grahame — knighted in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to art — is known from his decades painting Central Otago landscapes, but he's also authored several books. He can't remember meeting Frizzell, but remembers considering himself a "little faraway regionalist painter from the insignificant south", describing Frizzell as a "trendy, contemporary, up and out there famous Aucklander". While Sir Grahame says Frizzell was "much older than me", Mountain Scene understands the age gap's about five years. He says Frizzell was "all the things I wasn't" — "charismatic and confident and probably as rich as Croesus", and he boasted a "fabulous" head of hair. Sir Grahame says he's got "immense admiration" for Frizzell's many talents. While best known as an artist, he's also a "wonderful" writer and a "demon" ukulele player. "The only thing he can't do is sing," he quips. Tickets for the festival launch with Frizzell and Sir Grahame went on sale Thursday, via Eventfinda.

Ten Years Of Art, Story And Spectacle: The 2025 Hawke's Bay Arts Festival Programme Has Landed
Ten Years Of Art, Story And Spectacle: The 2025 Hawke's Bay Arts Festival Programme Has Landed

Scoop

time30-07-2025

  • Scoop

Ten Years Of Art, Story And Spectacle: The 2025 Hawke's Bay Arts Festival Programme Has Landed

The 2025 Hawke's Bay Arts Festival programme has been officially unveiled, marking a milestone tenth year for one of the region's most anticipated cultural events. Taking place from 9 – 19 October across Hastings, Havelock North and Napier, the Festival will present live music, dance, theatre, circus and a range of visual art exhibitions and family-friendly events. Festival Director Jade Baker says the 2025 programme is a celebration of legacy and possibility. 'This year's Festival is a reflection of everything we've learned that the community loves, over the past ten years. But it's also a call to keep going.' 'Creativity bridges imagination and reality,' continues Ms Baker. 'It fuels problem solving, innovation, and connection and it deserves greater recognition in Aotearoa. The arts don't just enrich lives; they shape stronger, more resilient communities. They help us make sense of the world around us and remind us what it means to be human.' 'Whether it's your first time at the Festival or your tenth, we want everyone to feel welcome. There's something in the programme for every age, every price point, and every kind of curiosity,' says Baker. Headlining the Festival is Cirque Bon Bon – a glittering, high-energy circus spectacular fresh from sell-out shows across Australia. Other highlights include the return of internationally acclaimed soul singer Deva Mahal, bold new contemporary dance work Holding Ground by New Zealand Dance Company, critically acclaimed theatre pieces Hysterical and Guru of Chai, immersive jazz cabaret The Velvet Rebels, and an intimate indie-folk gig, Fables. The Festival also features a wide range of visual art, family-friendly events, and regionally rooted programming that reflects the creative spirit of Hawke's Bay. Mayor of Hastings Sandra Hazlehurst says the return of the Festival marks an exciting milestone for the region. 'It's a real pleasure to welcome the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival back to Heretaunga Hastings for its tenth anniversary. This event brings such vibrancy and creativity to our community, and it's wonderful to see it return with a programme that reflects the best of who we are. From performances at Toitoi: Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre to family events and exhibitions, the Festival offers something for everyone, and it plays an important role in strengthening the cultural life of our region. I encourage everyone to get out and support it.' Ms Baker encourages locals to plan their Festival early and get behind the arts this October. 'Come out for a night of laughter, music, story or spectacle. Bring your mates, book your tickets, and support the artists who inspire, challenge, and connect us. Some shows will sell fast - so get in early and be part of it.' The full programme is available to view on the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival website. Tickets will go sale 9.00am Thursday 31 July via and Eventfinda.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store