Waikanae Business Association

19/06/2026

We were blown away by the turnout last night, and so grateful that the weather held. We'd love to put on more events like this, but we can't do it without your support. Your feedback will help us report back to our supporters and shape more community events for Waikanae.

It only takes 2 minutes to complete the survey: https://forms.gle/Sycpu8wgwwzthiz56

Thank you again to our event sponsors 👏
Elite Diagnostics
Goodman Contractors
SignCraft
Kāpiti Coast District Council

Ngā mihi nui from the Waikanae Business Association 🌟

19/06/2026

🩵 Light Up Waikanae is all about community coming together ✨

Before the lights go on and Mahara Place fills with music, food, stalls and winter magic, we want to take a moment to thank the people and organisations helping make this event possible.

A huge thank you to our event sponsors:

✨ Elite Diagnostics
✨ Goodman Contractors
✨ Kāpiti Coast District Council

Your support has helped us bring this night market to life and create something special for Waikanae businesses, locals, families and visitors to enjoy.

We also want to give a massive shout-out to the dedicated crew of volunteers who have been working hard behind the scenes — planning, organising, problem-solving, wrangling details, supporting stallholders and making sure the evening comes together. And to Brien Electrical who helped us get the lights in Mahara Place on!

Events like this don’t happen by themselves. They happen because people care about their town, their local businesses and their community.

We can’t wait to see Mahara Place lit up tonight!

📍 Mahara Place, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

Come along, support local, and be part of it.

18/06/2026

✨ Entertainment, music, lights and plenty to do at Light Up Waikanae! ✨

There’s so much happening throughout Mahara Place next Friday, with music, activities, interactive stalls and a few surprises to help bring the vibes.

🎶 On the Mahara Place stage, Mocean will be bringing their uplifting Aotearoa soul-reggae vibes, alongside the Mostly Music Vinyl Lounge keeping the atmosphere groovy all evening.

You’ll also find smooth tunes spinning from Aotearoa Records, plus local musician George Denton busking.

🔦 Toi Mahara will be open til 8pm with special Torchlight Tours, giving you a chance to experience the gallery after dark in a whole new way.

For the kids — and the young at heart — we’ll have interactive fun from Daizy Design Neon Face Painting, Tamzie’s Balloon Creations, and candyfloss made with pedal power.

The Waikanae Chartered Club also has some fun things in store, and we’ll be running a Spin to Win wheel throughout the evening, with your chance to win some GREAT prizes from local businesses.

🎁 Spin to Win is just $5 to enter, so bring a few coins and see what you can take home!

And a big shout-out to Wham Bam Events for installing lighting that’s going to make Mahara Place look absolutely incredible.

📍 Mahara Place, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

Come for the market, stay for the music, lights, prizes and winter magic.

17/06/2026

The forecast is looking great for Light Up Waikanae tomorrow, and we are SO ready to bring some winter magic to Mahara Place.

Come down for an evening of local food, market stalls, late-night shopping, live music, gin, mulled wine, lights, prizes and community goodness.

Rug up, bring the whānau, and make a night of it in the heart of Waikanae.

📍 Mahara Place, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

17/06/2026

🛍️ Market treasures, handmade goodies and local creativity at Light Up Waikanae! ✨

Alongside the food, music and winter vibes, we have a fantastic lineup of stallholders bringing gifts, crafts, records, wellness products, clothing, candles and plenty of things to browse.

Come along and explore stalls from:

🌀 Whisper Crafts 3D Printing — 3D printed fidgets and curiosities
🦄 Shelly and Patch — dress-ups, dragon tails and unicorn hats
🐾 Purple4Paws — dog toys and jackets, dog biscuits, plus knitting for kids
🌙 Dream Weavers — dream catchers and caps
💍 Maimitidesign — beautiful wood and Māori-inspired jewellery designs
🕯️ Wild Waikanae — candles and soaps
👕 Kāpiti Coast Proud — Kāpiti-branded clothing
🎶 Aotearoa Records — records to browse and take home
🌿 So Balmy — natural wellness products and kawakawa ointments
🕯️ Wee Flower Candle Co — beautiful candles

And more! Whether you’re looking for a gift, a treat for yourself, something cosy for winter, or just a good wander through local creativity, there’ll be plenty to discover.

📍 Mahara Place, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

Bring a bag, bring the whānau, and support local makers, creators and small businesses.

16/06/2026

🩵 Light Up Waikanae is all about supporting local ✨

While the market stalls, music and lights will bring extra energy into Mahara Place, this event is also about celebrating and supporting the local businesses that are here all year round.

We’re delighted that a number of Mahara Place and Main Road retailers and eateries will be open for the evening, giving you the perfect chance to browse, shop, eat, wander and show them some love.

Open for late-night shopping will be:

🛠️ John’s Hardware
🖼️ Toi MAHARA
👗 Jenoa
🛍️ Waikanae Baptist Op Shop
💍 Adorn Jewellery

You’ll also be able to grab a bite from local favourites including Lalie’s, Olive Grove Café, the sushi shop and Rachelle’s Bakery, along with the usual Friday night food spots on Main Road.

So come along, enjoy the market atmosphere, and make a point of popping into the businesses that help make Waikanae such an awesome place.

📍 Mahara Place and Main Road, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

Shop local, eat local, love local.

15/06/2026

🍽️ Come hungry to Light Up Waikanae! ✨

Our winter night market is serving up plenty of tasty treats, local flavours and delicious reasons to make a night of it in Mahara Place.

You’ll find a great lineup of food-related stalls and things to eat, including:

🥪 Waikanae Butchery with hot ham sandwiches
🍽️ Olive Grove Cafe serving up meals and mulled wine
🥟 Lalie's with mouth watering Latin food
🥞 Julie’s Crepes serving sweet crepes
🍭 Candy Cutique with candyfloss made by pedal power
🍬 Fundraiser stall with fudge, drinks and a sausage sizzle
🧀 Anzil with cheese platters
🌶️ Sone's Sauces with their much-loved chilli sauces
🫒 Noble Estate Olives with Waikanae-made olive oil
🥞 Goldies Wholefoods with porridge and pancakes

And that’s not all — Mahara Place and Main Road eateries will also be open, with plenty of dinner, snack and sweet treat options throughout the evening.

Whether you’re after something warming, something sweet, something savoury, or something to take home for later, there’ll be lots to enjoy.

📍 Mahara Place, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

Bring your appetite, bring the whānau, and support local foodies, eateries and makers.

15/06/2026

✨ Light Up Waikanae is happening this Friday! ✨

We’re excited to share two very special additions to the evening: Imagination and Mocean.

🍸 Imagination Gin will be setting up a bar in Mahara Place, serving gin made right here on the Kāpiti Coast. Their distillery is tucked away in the Reikorangi Valley, nestled in the bush down a gravel drive, on the site where New Zealand’s trail-blazing craft brewery Tuatara was born.

Using rainwater captured on site, charcoal filtered for an unmistakably pure taste, and distilled with local produce wherever possible, this is gin with a true sense of place.

🎶 On stage, we’re thrilled to welcome Mocean — a five-piece band hailing from Paekākāriki and Hongoeka. Rooted in uplifting Aotearoa soul-reggae vibes, Mocean bring sweet harmonies, danceable grooves, warm cello lines and soaring flute solos.

With original songs by Himiona Grace, plus crowd favourites from legends like Bob Marley and Herbs, MOCEAN will bring a live sound that’s soulful, vibrant and full of feel-good energy.

Featuring Himiona Grace, Julia Truscott, Janet Holborow, Simon James and Te Mako Orzecki.

Plus, there’ll be 25+ stallholders, food, crafts, local retailers open late, and more music playing right throughout the evening.

📍 Mahara Place, Waikanae
📅 Friday 19 June
🕟 4.30pm–8.30pm

This event is organised by Waikanae Business Association in collaboration with Mostly Music, with support from Kāpiti Coast District Council and other sponsors.

12/06/2026

Hey Waikanae, looking for something to do tomorrow? Pop into the Memorial Hall and find something new to add to your winter wardrobe...

Are you ready Kapiti? 😍🛍️

MWIW Kapiti Sustainable Fashion Market is happening tomorrow! 🥳🙌

📅 Saturday, 13 June | Waikanae Memorial Hall, Pehi Kupa St. | 10AM – 2PM
⭐️ Gold coin entry

- OVER 40 CLOTHING VENDORS
- TOOTHGEMS
- BODY PIERCINGS
- PERMANENT JEWELLERY
- COFFEE, ICED MATCHA, SODA FLOATS.

See you there. 🛍️

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11/06/2026

Today’s wander brings us to the Waikanae Library; the cheerful pop-up space that’s been holding our community together while the main library building undergoes its major transformation into Te Ara Whetū.

Set right in the town centre, the temporary Waikanae Library continues to welcome all ages, with a strong focus on supporting our older community members. It’s compact, friendly, bright, and surprisingly full of life for a space that was only ever meant to be short-term. While we all look forward to the new purpose-built facility opening in 2026, this little library has quietly become part of daily life in Waikanae; a reminder that good libraries aren’t just about buildings, but about people, connection, and accessibility.

A small but mighty stop on our Waikanae Wanderings.