Mount Maunganui to hold Earth Hour market

The popularity of the Mount Maunganui Gourmet Night Market has driven organisers to hold a one-off market on March 29 in support of Earth Hour.

This summer was the first year of the weekly market, which began in December last year.

Founder Kim Renshaw intended the market to run until January, but extended the date to February 28 due to the success.

“[The market] has become a meeting place for the community. I know of whole groups of friends that come with their kids and catch up once every couple of weeks,” said Renshaw.

More than 5000 people turned up to the market last Friday, held at Coronation Park.

By 7pm, the crowd had well and truly formed in the sunny park. Parents were unwinding after the week, while kids’ faces gave away their excitement at being allowed to eat from popular stall, Real Good Brownies.

Young local New Zealand’s Got Talent singer Calista Grey was there singing an Alicia Keys number.

The biggest crowd number they had this summer was 6000 on January 10 and 24.

Renshaw said Mount locals enjoyed the relaxed, family friendly environment and the variety of food stalls and music.

In total there are 40-45 farmers market, hot food, dessert and drink stalls. The stallholders are mostly from Mount Maunganui, but others come from Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua and Taupo.

The market is also one of the few events in New Zealand to compost its waste.

Each stallholder must use compostable plates and cutlery, and volunteers are next to recycling bins to assist locals.

“We take all our compost to the local composting facility and hand sort through it each week to find any bits missed, such as bottle tops which can’t be composted,” Renshaw said.

The 30-year-old Mount Maunganui local decided to launch the Gourmet Night Market after promoting her online health business at North Island markets over the past two years.

“I wanted to create a fun market, the kind of event I myself would love to sell my product at. I wanted to set it up in my version of paradise: Mount Maunganui.”

She knew there was a missing niche for a food only market in the area and a lack of something fun and free to do.

“Plus NO one wants to cook on a Friday night.”

Bay local Janine Macdonald was at the last market. She said she would also attend the Earth Hour event.

“We need more of these sorts of things at the Mount. It’s a good opportunity to chill out and listen to good music. I can eat things I normally wouldn’t try otherwise too.”

Macdonald said she had just tested raw spaghetti bolognaise from the stall Love Raw.

Thirty-five stalls will be at the Earth Hour event and it will have more of an entertainment focus.

“I’m personally stoked to be able to do something even more environmental with the Gourmet Night Market,” Renshaw said.

“We will even be using a solar generator for the music and entertainment. Everything will be lit up with solar lights and lanterns.”

Her advice: “Plan to spend a couple of hours, and bring a blanket to sit on.”