Dedicated to the Mahurangi Regatta and the hosting Mahurangi Harbour community
First Good Image of New Mahurangi Marquee: Aside, of course from the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta, of which there is no equivalent image to hand, the inaugural Mahu West Summer Fest provided this first opportunity to display the magic of new, 18 x 16-metre stretch marquee, at dusk. This view, right, is predominantly of the narrower, 16-metre side of marquee, which, as this image attests, was a stretch to squeeze in across the site, at the Mahurangi West Hall. image Mike Neil
Contents
author Cimino
published 20240824
Mahurangi, Mahurangi
It was always to Mahurangi
Jocelyn Fairburn
With the first 2026—yes, 2026 —wedding already pencilled in, it is clearly way, way past time for the rates for the Mahurangi Harbour community marquee to posted here, online.
Mahurangi Regatta, of course, is the principal reason the Mahurangi Harbour community required its own marquee. An annual one-day regatta, however, could not on its own justify the $37 000 acquisition. On the contrary, and from the get-go, the ‘free’ Mahurangi Harbour community marquee must be self-funding. Accordingly, the rate categories range from free, through to mates-of-the-Mahurangi rates.
But while provision of this 18 x 16-metre stretch marquee is a philanthropic, for-the-love-of-Mahurangi initiative, the rates charged must respect the labours of the unpaid, hairy-arsed volunteer marquee erection crew :
Please note, venue charges are not included:
Please see below for details—including for substantially discounted,
paid-in-advance options :
Traditionally, admission to the Mahurangi Regatta prize-giving dance was on a-shilling-and-ladies-a-plate basis. On the eve of the 2024 regatta, a combination of Auckland Council regional-events funding, local philanthrope and contributions from the visiting yacht and boating clubs, plus some last-minute subbing, resulted in the community owning its own, optimal regatta marquee. Without wholesale commercialisation, which, in turn, would result in the regatta organisers being stung with $12 400 in regional-park charges, the event will determinedly remain the sublime epitome of equitable access.
For other Mahurangi Harbour community events for which no admission charge is made, no charge is asked for the marquee. Having said that, if lavish funding is already been secured for all the other components of the event, it would only be fair that a portion of that was contributed towards the marquee costs—a $36 500 marquee needs to attract every legitimate bit of support.
First event the new marquee was used for perfectly illustrates the policy here. When use of the marquee was offered for the inaugural Mahu West Summer Fest, the event was on the cusp of being cancelled. As is typical of such events—the 2004 Mahurangi Regatta Ball being the classic local example—most tickets were sold in the last week. Aside from being hugely stressful, an organiser can only afford so much risk. Accordingly, the marquee was offered completely free of charge, but with the expectation that in the unlikely event there was a financial surplus, a marquee contribution would be welcomed. As luck and a great deal of local goodwill ensured, a tidy $1000 was deemed to be surplus to direct costs, and sorely needed by those who had stuck their necks out committing to the acquisition.
Realistically, weddings, at the Mahurangi West Hall marquee site, are where the Mahurangi Harbour community marquee needs to earn its keep. The base price, $4500, is less than an 18 x 16-metre stretch marquee would usually be hired out for, but the size—the largest stock-size on offer—is perfect for Mahurangi West Hall weddings, with the 16-metre width the maximum that the site can accommodate. Thus, the asking price is reduced to make the hire attractive to those who might otherwise have hired a somewhat smaller marquee.
The one charge covers the days—typically a minimum of three—that span the marquee’s erection, through to its striking and removal by the marquee crew.
From $3375 reflects the 25% discount for lumpsum payment in advance. The hirer, due to a generous refund policy, is not risking losing money in the event of a major weather-related event. Potential hirers are encouraged to have a plan b. Extreme weather can cause any event to be cancelled, but outdoor events carry an obvious risk. In respect to this marquee, and upper windspeed, there are absolute structural-certification limitations:
For wind speeds exceeding 70 kph the marquee is not to be occupied and it is recommended that the marquee be dismantled.
Marquee owner, Mahurangi Action Incorporated, will not see the hirer hung out to dry and will return any advance payment where it would be unreasonable to expect the event to proceed.
Although the marquee might be available, as in 4 above, for from $3375, the location, venue, and any advance payment might all impact on the price quoted—please enquire.
Paying for the marquee ahead of the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta was quite the struggle. In response to a desperate plea for deposits, one Mahurangi Action member whimsically remitted $500 towards the use of the marquee for his funeral. Word spread and three others promptly followed suit. A golden moment, but what the $500 covers has yet to be discussed and agreed upon. The current understanding is that such people can confidently expect their sendoff to be a marquee affair.
Location, venue, and even advance payment might all impact on the price quoted—please enquire.
In late February 2024, the marquee was erected for the third time, in unspeakably tragic circumstances. Because of the strong familial and geographic connections to the Mahurangi Harbour, no charge was made. Please enquire.
Establishing a clearer guide to cover all reasonably conceivable hire situations is a work in progress. The goal of the marquee-owning entity is for the Mahurangi Harbour community marquee to be sustainable, which implies it needs to be revenue-earning, or at least partially self-funding, in most cases.
Plans b The atmospheric river that caused the 2023 Mahurangi Regatta to be cancelled, along with a raft of other events in the region, at the time, was the ultimate driver for the purchase of the Mahurangi Harbour community marquee. Holding a the historic Mahurangi Regatta has always been challenging—in truth, often outright risky—fiscally. Being obliged to fork out thousands for a marquee that was cancelled days before it was due to be delivered, however, provided the final push.
Famously, since an ex-tropical Wilma cancelled the 2011 Mahurangi Regatta, a plan b has included a hierarchy of factors that consider not only the logistics of erecting the prize-giving dance marquee, but whether more than a handful of crews are likely to vacate their individual snug saloons to brave the trip ashore, and return in the wind, rain, and dark—not to mention potential compromises with freeboard.
While some might be loath to consider any outcome other than perfect weather for their special day, experienced planners will well know that, while there is nothing as iconic as a marquee wedding, the extra element of risk cannot be ignored. For some, this might be managed by paying a small deposit to hold open the option of repairing to a wet-weather venue.
Disclosure The author of this novel modello is the secretary of both Mahurangi Action Incorporated and the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust. The content published here, however, is that of the editorially independent, independently funded Mahurangi Magazine.
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