One of the pillars of my 30-point plan is making Lower Hutt an Events City. As someone with 20 years’ experience working in the events industry, I want our city to be the go-to destination for organisers – a place that’s easy to work with, welcoming for visitors, and buzzing with activity all year round.
The Council has recently signed off our Events Strategy, which sets the direction. But a strategy on paper is only the start. As Mayor, I’ll make sure we use it to step up, actively attract more investment, and bring more events to the Hutt.
We’ve invested in some incredible facilities that are ready to host. From Walter Nash Stadium to the Lower Hutt Events Centre, and from Fraser Park to Days Bay, our city has spaces that can cater to everything from grassroots community gatherings through to national tournaments and major festivals. We have so many amazing spaces across Lower Hutt waiting to be showcased.
Take one example coming up soon: from 10–12 October at Fraser Park, the NZ Junior Girls Rugby Festival will bring together 65 teams from across Aotearoa. Thousands of players, coaches, and families will be here for three days of sport, generating an expected $1.3 million boost for our local Hutt cafés, shops, and accommodation. That’s what happens when we back events: they connect people, showcase our city, and pump money into local businesses.
Today the Government has announced a $70 million investment package to boost New Zealand’s events and tourism sector – including:
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$40m Events Attraction Package to secure large-scale international events from 2026
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$10m Events Boost Fund to support existing events and attract international opportunities
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$10m Regional Tourism Boost Campaign to encourage more international visitors
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Up to $10m for tourism infrastructure upgrades
This national focus couldn’t be better timed. With our strategy freshly signed off and our facilities ready to go, Lower Hutt is already positioned to take advantage. While other cities may just be starting to prepare, we’ve laid the groundwork. The government has specifically said they expect local government to be involved, and we are perfectly placed for this.
My commitment is to turn this from strategy into reality. That means cutting the red tape, welcoming organisers, and building a thriving calendar of events that makes Lower Hutt more vibrant, boosts our local economy, and gives our community more to celebrate.
Lower Hutt is open for events – and with the right leadership, we’re ready to take that next step.
Photo: Six60 and Drax Project at Hutt Rec (Jan 2020) – Photo by Brady Dyer