Matariki Kite Day

Come up to Turtle Lake Hill at Hamilton Gardens and fly a kite with your whaanau.

Kite Day is one of those easy, feel-good days out. Make and decorate your own manu tukutuku, then send it up into the Matariki sky.

For Maaori, kites were more than just fun. They carried messages across tribal boundaries and held a sacred link to the spiritual world. There's something special about that when you're standing on a hill with your kids, watching your kite catch the wind.

Try your hand at traditional kite-making or have a go with a contemporary Peter Lynn paper kite. Either way, you'll help fill the sky with colour.

Everyone is welcome, and it's completely free. The first 600 kids get a free kite, so come early and bring your whaanau and friends.