Tatum Park Officially Reopened

At the Tatum Park launch event in November 2024

An estate originally built for the flamboyant “Squire of Manakau” Major Tatum and his wife Mrs Alice Tatum was officially relaunched in November to a large group of friends, stakeholders and tourism industry guests.

In its day, the Tatum Park homestead in rural Horowhenua was renowned for its parties and events throughout the 1920s and ‘30s. Now the 17-hectare site, with its historic homestead, relaunches as significant conference, wedding and community venue.

Wayne and Bridget Bishop are owners of the property, and founder Wayne Bishop told guests that the project represents a major commitment to the site and to the region.

“With a place like this, with so much history, it feels more like you’re a custodian than an owner - and you’re preserving that for future generations,” he said.

“It’s important that everyone on the project has a shared vision as to its potential for it to come together,” he said

The launch was a progressive event took guests through the renovated and redeveloped venue. Guests were welcomed to the venue by an effervescent Scout Master (performed by actor Conrad Coom); drinks on the lawn with music by acclaimed artist Lisa Tomlin; dinner in the Jamboree restaurant in the new Pavilion event space; and finishing around the historic Cooksey Campfire Circle where thousands of scouts had gathered in past generations.

Some guests also stayed the night in some of the newly built accommodation units on the property – giving them their first live test.

With a significant investment already spent on the project and much more to come, the development both saves and preserves the historic site, as well as retaining an important cultural hub for a rapidly growing community.

Bishop hopes that the local community comes along and makes use of the space, whether that’s for a wedding, conference, lunch in the restaurant or just to get out of the house for a few hours.

See: https://www.tatum.co.nz/

Horror in the Stalks: Spookers CornEvil Experience Promises a Terrifying Night Out

Why does corn evoke such fear?

Few settings capture the eerie essence of horror quite like a cornfield. With towering stalks and claustrophobic rows, these vast, shadowy landscapes have set the stage for some of cinema’s most unforgettable scares.

In ‘Signs’, an alien figure eerily emerges between the stalks, delivering a brief yet unforgettable jolt of terror. ‘Children of the Corn’ turns the fields into a sinister domain, with a child cult and a mysterious deity. In ‘Jeepers Creepers 2’, the Creeper prowls the golden rows, creating a chilling sense of helplessness. Whether it’s alien invaders, supernatural entities, or relentless creatures, horror always finds a way to thrive in the stalks.

So, it’s no surprise that Spookers’ returning CornEvil cornfield experience is sending chills up the spines of thousands of fresh-faced visitors keen to challenge their fears among the corn with only a flashlight to guide them.

Spookers is the number one haunted attraction in the Southern Hemisphere operating year-round at Kingseat near Auckland. It has been six years since CornEvil entertained and terrified audiences, with the new ownership returning this beloved Kiwi rite of passage to the Auckland summer.

For the next few months visitors to Spookers will be able to venture through the main attractions; The Haunted House and Disturbia, before finding themselves lost in the corn with actors, sets and stalks all combining “to scare the crap out of you,” say Spookers owners Jason Spiller and William Geradts.

“A cornfield is the quintessential horror setting. It’s height and density are immediately disorientating – especially in the dark – and you’re plunged into an environment where all your senses are on edge. And our award-winning scare-actors make sure everyone gets suitably terrified,” Spiller says.

The horror genre of live entertainment is becoming increasingly popular as people seek social experiences in the post covid world.

“Horror offers a unique emotional release. Fear triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine - a rush of excitement that many find exciting, especially when shared with friends or family.

“Ultimately, the appeal of horror lies in its ability to stimulate and challenge the mind, offering a mix of fear, excitement, and introspection in an engaging and safe way,” Spiller said.

The Spookers CornEvil experience will run through until early April or whenever the corn is harvested!

Location and Details

Spookers is an approximately 40-minute drive from Auckland city centre. To get there, head south on State Highway 1, take the exit for Papakura, and follow the signs to Kingseat Road.

Spookers offers a variety of experiences for one great ticket price, including a full onsite Café, Bar and event facilities.

Attractions including The Haunted House, Disturbia, CornEvil and all tickets include a group photo for each person.

Tickets can be purchased online through the Spookers website, ensuring a smoother check-in process. Booking in advance is highly recommended for a spine-chilling adventure.

For ticketing information and details, see https://www.spookers.co.nz/

Armageddon Back with a Bang

It’s been a few years since the Blomfield team have worked with Armageddon Expo at Auckland Showgrounds.

Apart from the fact that COVID had put events all over New Zealand on pause for a couple of years, Auckland Showgrounds being offline added an extra delay that made for a long delay between events.

So, it was a relief to see this massive show back in action, with international talent, big attractions and an army of deliriously happy fans.

The Blomfield team were happy to do the wrangling for the likes of Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones), Michelle Gomez (Doctor Who), Emilie De Ravin (Once Upon a Time), Caity Lotz  (Legends of Tomorrow), Sacha Dhawan (Doctor Who), John Noble (Lord of the Rings), Afshan Azad (Harry Potter), Clive Standen (Vikings), Lucy Martin (Vikings), David Anders (iZombie), Georgina Haig (Once Upon a Time) and animation voice actors, Landon McDonald, Nicolas Roye and Justine Huxley.

And we had really strong support from the local media, including press, tv, online and radio, covering the show and interviewing the stars.

So, good times and happy client and fans - we’re looking forward to working with them again in October for another monster Auckland show.

Celebrating New Zealand's Greatest Talent

Celebrating our nation's top offshore talent in a moment when inspiration is needed most

Kea honours Peter Cooper as World Class Supreme Award Winner for 2021

New Zealand’s global network for offshore Kiwi, Kea, has celebrated an impressive line-up of our global achievers at The Kea World Class Awards 2021, held at Shed 10, Auckland last night.

The Awards ceremony inducted six new Kea World Class New Zealanders and one Friend of New Zealand, attracting an impressive crowd of past and present alumni who gathered to acknowledge this year’s winners and to welcome Supreme Award winner, Peter Cooper.

These winners join an inspiring community of Kea World Class New Zealanders including Rocket Labs’, Peter Beck; Choreographer Parris Goebel; All Birds founder, Tim Brown; Former Prime Minister, Helen Clark; and Actor, Cliff Curtis. Kea chief executive officer Toni Truslove says that taking time to recognise and thank these Kiwi was a timely reminder of the incredible power and influence of our nation’s talent.

“The Kea World Class New Zealand Awards were created to recognise a diverse range of Kiwi who through the impact of their work, leadership and philanthropy raise New Zealand’s mana globally,” Truslove says.

“Now more than ever, we need to acknowledge the enormous impact our exploring Kiwi make to our nation, at a time when their breadth of knowledge and valuable skill-sets are most needed to boost New Zealand’s productivity and support our economic recovery.”

Handing over to 2021 Supreme Award Winner is 2019 winner and recent returner Peter Gordon. He says that the awards are an important way to say thank you to those who through their efforts and talent have helped put New Zealand front and centre on the World’s stage.

“It is really exciting seeing what New Zealanders are doing around the world. We need to shout a bit more about our success, and the awards are a great way of saying thank you, spreading the aroha and celebrating everyone’s mahi,” Gordon said.

Picking up the Kea Supreme Award, California-based businessman Peter Cooper was a unanimous choice for judges. Cooper’s many acts of philanthropy and support of the arts is well-known.

Only son of a truck driver and devoted mother, and with Ngati Kahu, Ngati Kuri and Te Aupouri heritage, Cooper’s journey has taken him from humble Kaitaia beginnings to the pinnacle of business and philanthropy, both here and in the US.

Cooper’s focus is on projects that establish and build communities while valuing and preserving the heritage of the places and the people. He is best known in New Zealand for developments such as Auckland’s Britomart Restoration project and Northland project, The Landing, which involved the extensive creation of wetlands, native bush and preserving areas of high archaeological value.

Judging Panel Chair, Phil Veal said that “Peter’s absolute commitment to heritage, quality and authenticity in everything he creates makes him the very embodiment of a World Class New Zealander”.

Other winners include journalist and author Anna Fifield, who became the editor of the Dominion Post and the Wellington editor for Stuff in October, returning to New Zealand after 20 years abroad. She was a foreign correspondent for the Financial Times and the Washington Post during those years, posted to Seoul, Tehran, Beirut, Washington DC, Tokyo and, most recently, Beijing. She was a Nieman journalism fellow at Harvard University and was awarded a Stanford University prize for her reporting on Asia. Her book, "The Great Successor: The Secret Rise and Rule of Kim Jong Un," has been published in 24 editions.

Jane Henley joins the ranks of Kea World Class New Zealanders, acknowledged for outstanding work globally, shifting the thinking of the building and construction sector towards sustainability. As global CEO of the World Green Business Council, Henley worked on setting standards for the sector, focussed on reducing energy use and waste. She returns to New Zealand to continue that work, focusing on the challenges New Zealand faces around affordability and cost of housing, and how to incorporate sustainability into that equation.

Neil Ieremia’s Black Grace Dance Company and its critically acclaimed productions have been thrilling crowds throughout the US, Europe and Asia since 1995, telling our stories, exposing our creative talent and exploding stereotypes about New Zealand and its place in the world. Ieremia took Samoan culture and rugby’s intensity and gave the world a new movement that is explosive, dramatic and an expression of soaring athleticism.

Producer/Director, Chelsea Winstanley is well known for her work as co-producer of Oscar-nominated Jojo Rabbit and vampire hit, What We Do in the Shadows, but is most passionate about telling Aotearoa’s stories. From her 2005 documentary on activist Tame Iti, through to Media Peace Award winning 2018 documentary, Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen, Winstanley has been winning recognition for her courage, humility and aroha in her storytelling.

The work of Prof Graham Le Gros, Dir. of Research, Allergic and Parasitic Diseases Programme Leader, at The Malaghan Institute has never been more topical, nor as important. With breakthroughs in the treatment of CovID-19, along with ground-breaking research in therapies that harness the power of the human immune system, Prof. Le Gros is devoted to changing health outcomes for people, both here and all over the world.

The Kea Friend of New Zealand Award, which recognises the significant contribution made to our country by someone who is not born here, was presented jointly to Film Director James Cameron, and Suzy Amis Cameron - who’ve made New Zealand home and the base for their international movie empire. They’ve been outspoken about their love of New Zealand and its people and have seen the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy here through the creation of the movie Avatar and many other projects. Their love of our environment is also reflected in their passion for Predator Free New Zealand, which has seen the Miramar Peninsula become part of an ambitious plan to create the world's first predator-free capital city.

“Kea was established to connect and engage with our global network of exploring Kiwi and it is exciting to see how this network continues to grow and prosper despite the challenges the world is facing’” Truslove says

“New Zealand benefits from these incredible Kiwi, whose strong work-ethic and compassionate values win them access to the highest levels of business and achievement around the world, and then are prepared to share their knowledge and influence with those of us back home”.

“New Zealanders everywhere continue to pursue their dreams, but they’ve made it clear that no matter where they go and what they achieve, their hearts and minds are still firmly home in Aotearoa,” she said.

It's a Wrap. A Weekend of Big Spending at the Auckland Home Show

The Auckland Home Show proudly brought to you by TSB, 4th – 8th September 2019.

The 2019 Auckland Home Show has wrapped with reports of big spenders attending the 20,000sqm show.

Big ticket items such as the latest kitchen appliances and smart home technology led the charge, with everything from double glazing to Tiny Homes reporting strong interest from the more than 40,000 visitors across the five days.

Angus Macmillan, head of retail for Samsung said that the company had seen "lots of big purchases" of whiteware this year, with 7-8 items being purchased  at a time, comparing favourably to the previous year where the brand saw more single purchases.  

And it wasn't just whiteware including the incredible Samsung Family Hub Fridge that gained the interest, Angus reported strong sales in home technology, big screen smart tvs and sound bars.

"We were 60% up on sales of televisions against last year, probably due to the Rugby World Cup," he said. 

Rachel Louie, Executive Director of Jones Family Business, perennially the largest exhibitor at the show, reported "some big packages" were quoted at the event.

"There were many quality customers, many of whom have plans in Council and we expect these to be firmed up in coming months," she said.

Of particular interest was new technology, including the new Smeg Blast Freezer, which was demo'd throughout the show.

"People loved being able to watch the demo before buying, and we saw very good engagement from visitors," Louie reported.

Another big ticket item in any home renovation is carpet and Carpet Mill factory manager Sam White, also reported strong sales for this important home product, particularly in the "higher end" of the range.

"Sales were a lot more positive and we're on track to beat sales figures for the past couple of years," said White.  "Things have been flat in Auckland and right around the country in recent months, so I wasn't expecting it to be quite as good as it has been."

Local foundation innovator Karl Van Vlerken reported that the strong sales weren't limited to consumer goods alone and his product Quickset Foundations saw huge interest at the show. 

"We came here for awareness and we weren't sure what it would be like, but we're probably going to walk away with 20 foundation orders, maybe more. That's enough to keep our inhouse foundations team busy for a year," he said.

Karl echoed sentiments from other exhibitors that local innovations definitely gained extra interest from visitors. "People loved that this was a home grown product, using recycled plastic from the Bay of Plenty," he said.

Ecospace founder Gavin Barr was another exhibitor not sure what to expect from his first foray into the Auckland Home Show, but came away delighted.

He sold his Tiny House showhome to a visitor and could have sold it "more than once". 

"Every day we had at least 30 people interested and I have a huge list of people to follow up. Definitely the best business decision I've ever made," he said.

General Manager, Exhibitions & Events NZ, Amanda Magnus says that the show is in good health and the Auckland Home Show will be back in style for its 40th event next year.

"The Auckland Home Show has maintained its position as the leading home event in Australasia because of its huge size, its enormous product range and free seminar lineup, and more importantly, the return-on-investment it offers our 500 plus exhibiting companies," says Magnus. 

"We're very proud of the hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of contractors and staff that build and staff the stands and make it happen over the five days," she said.

"The Auckland Home Show is in good heart and will be here for many years to come!"

Craft'd Brings the Flavour

The Boutique Wine Festival has rebranded as Craft’d, with a new venue, new format and spirits tasting to add to the mix.

The Craft’d Wine & Spirits Festival is a brilliant mix of wine, food, entertainment and education, letting visitors learn about some of New Zealand’s smallest, quirkiest and most passionate wineries and boutique spirits distillers.

Now hosted at Generator @Gridakl, Craft’d has a bright, smart new venue - allowing the creation of a VIP lounge, food trucks in the lane and great music throughout the venue.

Check out the video and go to the website, here: https://craftd.global/craftd-wine-and-spirits-festival-2019

Harlem Globetrotters New Zealand Promo Tour

An absolute pleasure to work with one of the great global sports brands.

Apart from being incredible entertainers, the Harlem Globetrotters are famous for spreading goodwill wherever they tour .

The Blomfield team were proud to travel with ambassadors Dragon and Ice, from Invercargill where we played ball with the Mayor, to Christchurch where we did basketball magic with The Wizard, in Palmerston North with an incredible public basketball show in the Waitangi Day festival, and in Auckland where we dunked off the Skytower and played ball with the comedians of The Project.

Great fun, huge energy and a brilliant week on the road.

Big Boys Toys returns for its 20th massive year!

The Boys Are Back in Town!

The Supercars are back at Big Boys Toys 2018

New Zealand’s iconic lifestyle show Big Boys Toys celebrates its 20th Anniversary from 16-18 November at the ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, with some extra innovation and sparkling entertainment to mark the occasion.

Since the event began in 1998, with its unique mix of indoor lifestyle expo and stunning outdoor arena show, Big Boys Toys has kept Greater Auckland up to date with the very ‘latest and greatest’ Automotive, Marine, Lifestyle and Consumer Electronics products and services.

No longer a teenager but no less excitable, the 20th Anniversary Big Boys Toys expands to six halls, with more to see, try and buy, along with the ever-popular Mammoth Action Arena delivering the thrills and spills to keep visitors on the edge of their seats.

“This year’s show has it all,” says Event Director Dean Wilson. “All the best features that the public already loves about this show, plus a whole lot of new attractions to make it the ultimate day out for people of all ages.”

First up, the cars! The Driven Hall is New Zealand’s premier automotive showcase, featuring vehicles and motorcycles you can drive home as well as those you can only dream of owning. This year’s Supercars – the 2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast and 2018 Ford GT will have all lovers of automobiles in awe! 

It’s not just for petrol-heads either, with Electric Avenue bringing the electric vehicle revolution to Big Boys Toys, with incredible electric vehicles and a chance to test drive the latest EVs & E-Bikes.

Quirky attractions include the Mirthmobile from cult 1990's movie – Wayne’s World – loving reproduced here in New Zealand.

The Mammoth Action Arena is set to enthral visitors of all ages, featuring an action-packed extreme sports show, with World BMX superstar Jed Mildon performing his spectacular array of tricks from an incredible 8m high ramp! And the TCNZ Car Drops see cars being dropped from over 70m on the ground in a spectacular head-on crash.

New this year is the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Alley, with 30 competitive BBQ teams from Australasia battling it out for over $10,000 in prizes.  Teams will compete across 5 categories – Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Pork and Pork Ribs to see who is crowned Grand Champion of the Jack Daniel’s Big Boys Toys Barbecue competition.

Other competitions taking place at this year’s show include the inaugural edition of the Combative Robotics National Champs, the Auckland Strongman Series, and the Medieval Fighting National Champs. 

And for lovers of the biggest toys of all, a huge Construction Zone will showcase the big machinery in an interactive format and includes the Auckland Excavator Operator Champs.

“We’re absolutely delighted with the lineup this year,” says Wilson.

“Ribs and robots, barbecues and electric bikes, strongmen and sword-fights, stunt riders and supercars… Big Boys Toys 2018 has it all!

Lock 16-18 November into your calendars, at ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane for the 20th Anniversary Show of Big Boys Toys.

www.bigboystoys.co.nz

(ends) 

Full List of Highlights:

•          The Electric Avenue celebrates the EV revolution and all things electric 

•          Supercars including the 2018 Ford GT and Ferrari 812 Superfast 

•          The Driven Hall, NZ’s premier lineup of major brands and automotive products.

•          The Mammoth Action Arena, with some of the world’s best extreme sport athletes

•          BMX legend – Jed Mildon will drop from the 8m Mammoth Mega Ramp

•          The movie car from a classic 1990’s film - the Mirthmobile from Wayne’s World

•          The Jack Daniels BBQ Alley featuring the Brothers of the Grill BBQ competition

•          The CCNZ Construction Zone will showcase big machinery in an interactive format

•          The Lifestyle & Electronics Hall with the latest in laptops, gaming, VR and technology.

•          The Ultimate Garage with hot rods, classic cars, machinery and more

•          Feature Halls such as the Automania Showcase 

•          The Smoke Free Hall presented by Vapo

•          The inaugural Combative Robotics National Championships

•          The Medieval Fighting National Champs

•          The Auckland Excavator Champs

•          The Auckland Strongman Series

Ticket Prices (at Gate)

Family Pass                 $55 (2 Adults and 2 kids)

Adults                          $25

Students / Seniors      $20 (with Student ID or Gold Card)

Children (5 – 12 Yrs)   $5

Children under 5         Free 

Early Bird Specials – book through www.bigboystoys.co.nz

Family Pass                 $45 (2 Adults and 2 kids)

Adults                          $20

Students / Seniors      $17 (with Student ID or Gold Card)

For Further Information:

Media Information: 

PR representative Paul Blomfield: paul@paulblomfield.com 021970871

Website:                                 www.bigboystoys.co.nz

Facebook:                               www.facebook.com/bigboystoysnz

Auckland Home Show 2018

Another huge edition of this amazing event - the Auckland Home Show is a pleasure to work on.

This is one of the biggest events in New Zealand and filled to the brim with products, services, people, chefs and more.

This year saw the interest in ‘tiny houses’ and prefab buildings continue, with a fun item on TVNZ Breakfast featuring one of the homes at the show. Watch it here

Another item on Late Edition focussed on not just the tiny home, but the compact garden and the furnishings to match - see that item here

And we loved this summary of must-have items from the show on The AM Show, with the KiWee Lifter a surprise hit with viewers. See that clip here:

Already looking forward to 2019!

Recliner chair with smartphone functionality, a toilet seat lifter and a Crisp’n’Grill oven are three of the highlights from the Auckland Home Show this year

Generator Britomart Place

A pleasure to be part of the Generator team for the launch of this incredible workspace.

Generator is New Zealand's leading coworking and serviced office providers, but this new space tops anything they've done before. 

With 3,000sqm of premium workspace, set in the top three levels of the Westpac Building, Britomart Place, Auckland, this is a luxurious place to work and the Blomfield team are proud to be residents as well.

If you get a chance, come up and take a look - you'll be wanting to work there yourselves!

https://generatornz.com/

Boutique Wine Festival 2018

The largest collection of New Zealand's smallest wineries! 

Great fun to again be part of the Boutique Wine Festival - a vibrant event full of characters, winemakers and wines.

The Blomfield team were again in action helping to promote this awesome occasion and attracting a large, buzzy crowd of wine-interested patrons.

We cant wait for the 2019 edition, with some exciting updates to be announced! 

https://boutiquewine.co.nz/

Yes, it's Graham Henry at this year's Boutique Wine Festival

Kitchen Things Luxury Launch

A stunning night of food and design...

The Kitchen Things Luxury Collection showroom is like nothing else in New Zealand, or perhaps the world! 

With eight amazing, state-of-the-art luxury kitchens, it was only appropriate to get eight of New Zealand's greatest celebrity chefs to help us open the showroom!

The Blomfield PR team were proud to be able to play their part in this extraordinary launch.

https://www.kitchenthings.co.nz/luxury-collection

New Zealand’s leading chefs cooking on the night: Michael Meredith, Josh Emett, Rudy Chartier, Des Harris, William Mordido, Brett Mc Gregor, Simon Gault  and Giulio Sturla.

Auckland Darts Masters

What a stunning event - if you haven't been to an edition of the World Series of Darts, you're missing a treat. 

Crazy fans in fancy dress, chanting and dancing and big prize-fight type entrances make this event a constant buzz. Oh, and the darts is a competitive event like no other, with huge tension and thrilling feats of concentration and ability.

If you get the chance, come and take a look when it returns to New Zealand in August 2019. 

Auckland Darts Masters

The 'Mighty' Michael van Gerwen, World Number One and reigning Auckland Champion. Photo: Photosport