Tauranga is well known for events it holds throughout the year highlighting, music, arts and culture.

The Great Kiwi Festival, held annually in late February to early March, celebrates the best of the Bay of Plenty lifestyle.  Highlights include a showcase of New Zealand Fashion, free concerts, family fun and entertainment and a range of other supporting events. The Coastal Bay of Plenty Charitable Trust developed the festival to showcase the lifestyle and produce of the area … and everything else that is ‘kiwi’. It has been supported by industry and business groups and Zespri is the founding sponsor. For more information visit www.kiwifestival.co.nz

Tauranga is home to the longest-running consecutive single-venue jazz festival in the world – the National Jazz Festival (www.jazz.org.nz) – held over Easter Weekend each year. An iconic event in New Zealand, the festival attracts around 25,000 jazz fans and musicians over the four day weekend. Concerts are held featuring jazz and blues acts of every description. In addition, each year large crowds of people enjoy the free jazz carnival held on the Saturday and Sunday, with performances in bars and cafes throughout central Tauranga and Mount Maunganui.

Held biennially, the Tauranga Arts Festival (www.taurangafestival.co.nz) provides 10 days of performances, events and exhibitions at a variety of venues. The festival attracts international artists, as well as quintessential New Zealand acts such as Flight of the Conchords – before they were quite so famous! Performances range from classical to jazz and cabaret music, dance and cutting edge theatre delivered with humour and insight.

Tarnished Frocks & Divas (www.tfandd.co.nz) is a unique exhibition and parade of retro clothing which has been reworked into contemporary styles. The show includes singers, dancers and musicians (the “divas”), with cabaret spots and video clips to complement the catwalk segments. Tarnished Frocks & Divas aims to inspire women to continue to challenge themselves, create new goals and to be a positive influence on their families, friends and the wider community.

On alternate years, the region's best gardeners open their doors to showcase their horticultural creations alongside superb visual art from local artists at the Tauranga Garden & Artfest (www.gardenandartfest.co.nz). The seven day festival attracts visitors from all over New Zealand and overseas, with over 90 garden stops and nearly 100 artists featuring on the 2008 programme. The garden line up includes cleverly planted courtyards, large country gardens with rose walks and sweeping lawns, exclusive lodge landscapes, herb trails and more, with sculptors, painters, carvers, mosaic and wood artists amongst the exhibitors.

The Tauranga Art Gallery (www.artgallery.org.nz) is spread over two levels and features 480 square metres of exhibition gallery space. It is situated in the centre of downtown Tauranga and achieves modern art gallery standards with the development of a range of highly adaptable gallery spaces. Open every day of the year apart from Christmas Day, the exhibition programme focuses on education, including debates, floor talks, guided tours, seminars, screenings, performances and artist residencies. The gallery is a dynamic environment showing educational, challenging and innovative exhibitions that promote discussion and debate around historical and contemporary art and culture.

The Cargo Shed (www.creativetauranga.org.nz), situated in Dive Crescent, provides an opportunity for emerging artists to get their work out into the community and the chance for the public to be exposed to different art works from the depth of talent in the area. It is also provides an opportunity for artists to test the market for their products and teach them the business skills to make a career out of their talents. The Cargo Shed has transformed this part of the city into a cultural, heritage centre which local artists and organisations can use as a work location, for training opportunities and the display and sale of products.

Baycourt Theatre (www.baycourt.co.nz) is the cultural heart of Tauranga, - an impressive venue that not only commands views over the harbour, but is also situated right in the main commercial centre. The multi-purpose complex serves the cultural, social and commercial needs of the city. The facilities and services have grown to include many national and international clients for theatre shows, exhibitions, conferences, dinner and cocktail functions. With three prominent spaces, the Centennial Theatre, the Exhibition Space and the Terrace Rooms, Baycourt is designed to suit every entertainment requirement.

Mount Surf Museum (www.mountsurfshop.co.nz/museum.htm) is New Zealand’s biggest surf museum, with 700 surfboards on display. This dazzling line-up of long boards and short boards shows the evolution of New Zealand surfing from early wooden-board days, through the psychedelic 60’s and 70’s. There are handcrafted masterpieces from Kiwi pioneers like Quane, and Bob Davies, and rare collectables, including kneeboards and paddleboards. The centerpiece is a collection of American surfing memorabilia –trophies, photographs and other items that belonged to ‘Da Cat,’ Malibu legend Mickey Dora.

A group of passionate individuals got together to achieve the dream of creating Classic Flyers (www.classicflyersnz.com) - a museum of antique aircraft that still take to the skies. The emphasis was on creating a living, dynamic museum with a high degree of activity, to protect the rich and precious history of New Zealand aviation. Where possible, the exhibits are operational, and many of the aircraft are flown from their base at Tauranga Airport. Opened in 2005, the museum also includes aviation memorabilia and restoration projects are undertaken in the hangar. The museum also displays visiting aircraft from time to time.

New Zealand’s unique Maori culture thrives in the Bay of Plenty. Traditional concert performance and exhibitions of master carving blend with contemporary Maori art to enrich the diverse activity on offer. A number of marae (sacred open meeting places) in the region provide opportunities to experience and participate in Maori culture and traditions and learn about the region's rich Maori history. Explanations are provided of marae protocol and carvings, and there are opportunities to visit kohanga reo (Maori language only school for children under 5 years), see demonstrations of Maori art and eat a hangi (Maori feast).

Bringing together culture, dance, food, arts and crafts, the Tauranga Ethnic Festival is a celebration of the many cultures and nationalities represented in Tauranga. Held in March each year, the festival introduces some of the 70 migrant communities and their cultures to the wider community.