Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre

Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Event Centre aims to be the most vibrant arts, culture and events facility in Aotearoa. Toitoi means to motivate, inspire, enthuse.

With a clear community mandate to deliver a diverse programme, Toitoi is the cultural heart of Hastings. Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre includes the Opera House, Municipal Building, Cushing Foyer, Functions on Hastings and Eastbourne Corner. It's the pinnacle of achievement. Toitoitia! "Go for it!"

Toitoi remembers our legacy waiata - Pōkarekare Ana. It was ascribed to one of our earli

est written versions of the song, now held in the National Library. Toitoi is used to describe the quick movements in dance that mimic birds and fish. Toi is simply art. Toi toi toi comes from the world of opera, borrowed from German then Italian, it's a performer's way to say, "Good Luck".

🎭 Back to business, almost! 🎭 Our team is back at Toitoi this week, refreshed and ready for an exciting year ahead! Whil...
16/01/2025

🎭 Back to business, almost! 🎭

Our team is back at Toitoi this week, refreshed and ready for an exciting year ahead! While we’re still wrapping up the final touches on our annual maintenance, our amazing neighbors are OPEN and ready to welcome you.

🍴 Craft And Social: Open Tuesday to Saturday, 11:30am till late. Perfect for lunch, drinks, or dinner with friends.
🍷 495wines: Open Tuesday to Saturday, 2:00pm - 10:00pm. Swing by for a cozy glass of wine and great conversation.
☕ Long Island Delicatessen: Open Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 3:30pm. Your go-to spot for coffee, lunch, or a sweet treat.

Pop in, support our local legends!

🎸✨ Born to Run? More like Born to Rock!On Saturday, August 9th, The Boss - Bruce Springsteen Experience is bringing the ...
11/01/2025

🎸✨ Born to Run? More like Born to Rock!

On Saturday, August 9th, The Boss - Bruce Springsteen Experience is bringing the energy, the hits, and the magic of Bruce Springsteen to Toitoi Opera House!

Celebrate 50 years of the iconic Born to Run album as this electrifying nine-piece band performs the album in full, along with all your favorite Springsteen classics like Dancing in the Dark, Thunder Road, and Crocodile Rock.

With stunning performances, incredible energy, and standing ovations at every show, this is the ultimate Springsteen tribute.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now—don’t miss your chance to experience The Boss live! Head to our website to grab yours.

Only a few days left until everyone's favourite school holiday programme Make A Play In Three Days is back at Toitoi! Co...
09/01/2025

Only a few days left until everyone's favourite school holiday programme Make A Play In Three Days is back at Toitoi!

Come and join the wonderful HaBYT tutors between Jan 22nd and 24th and embark on a journey together of making a play in 3 days! Exploring voice, movement, characterisation and stage craft, with loads of fun along the way!

Perfect for aspiring young actors eager to dive into the thrilling world of drama, boost their confidence, and unleash boundless creativity!

Head to our website to book!

Tour Toitoi this Summer!Have you ever wondered how it would feel to stand on the Opera House stage and look out towards ...
07/01/2025

Tour Toitoi this Summer!

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to stand on the Opera House stage and look out towards the audience? Would you like to take a peek in the dressing-rooms frequented by world renowned performers? Or perhaps you’re a history buff who wants to discover the history behind the beautiful buildings within Toitoi - Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre?

This summer the Hastings isite Visitor Information centre invite you to join them on a behind the scenes guided tour of Toitoi.

Don't miss this unique opportunity, get your tickets from our website now...

Do you have rangatahi or ākonga who are interested in entertainment and events technology and are willing to commit to t...
04/01/2025

Do you have rangatahi or ākonga who are interested in entertainment and events technology and are willing to commit to two hours, once a week, for six weeks?

Toitoi's FREE six week introduction to Entertainment Technology course is open for applications for 2025.
Successful applicants will learn about health and safety, all the roles within a tech team, see demonstrations in lighting and sound, and do hands-on activities. This programme is a first step to a potential career in the events and entertainment industry.

Find out more and apply here - https://www.toitoivenues.co.nz/community/career-pathways/

Everyone's favorite school holiday programme Make A Play in Three Days is back these January School Holidays from Wednes...
02/01/2025

Everyone's favorite school holiday programme Make A Play in Three Days is back these January School Holidays from Wednesday 22nd January - Friday 24th January (9-4pm)!

Come and join the wonderful HaBYT tutors and embark on a journey together of making a play in 3 days! Exploring voice, movement, characterisation and stage craft, with loads of fun along the way!
Perfect for aspiring young actors eager to dive into the thrilling world of drama, boost their confidence, and unleash boundless creativity! For tamariki aged 9 to 13.

Spots are limited to head to our website NOW to grab a spot!

🎆 Haere mai 2025! 🎆What an incredible year 2024 has been at Toitoi—full of vibrant performances, moving stories, and unf...
31/12/2024

🎆 Haere mai 2025! 🎆

What an incredible year 2024 has been at Toitoi—full of vibrant performances, moving stories, and unforgettable events. Thank you to everyone who made this year so special.

As we step into the New Year, we’re excited to bring you even more magic, music, and moments that bring us all together. From world-class shows to local celebrations, we can’t wait to welcome you back through our doors.

Here’s to 2025—may it be filled with creativity, connection, and community. Cheers to a new year at Toitoi! 🥂✨

Ngā mihi o te tau hou! 🎭🌟

🎭✨ Prepare to be amazed!On March 19th & 20th, join us for The Suitcase Show—an extraordinary theatrical experience where...
27/12/2024

🎭✨ Prepare to be amazed!

On March 19th & 20th, join us for The Suitcase Show—an extraordinary theatrical experience where entire worlds unfold from a stack of battered cases.

From lo-fi shadowplay to dancing disembodied hands, this eclectic box set of short stories touches on love, climate change, secrets, and more. It’s inventive, darkly comic, and completely magical.

Renowned for their creative genius, Trick of the Light brings this award-winning masterpiece to Toitoi. Audiences have called it "pure magic" and "one of the best shows they've ever seen."

🎟️ Tickets are limited, so don’t miss your chance to see this unforgettable show. Grab your tickets from our website now!

🎭✨ Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou! 🎄As the year wraps up, so do we! Toitoi will be closed for the summer holid...
23/12/2024

🎭✨ Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou! 🎄

As the year wraps up, so do we! Toitoi will be closed for the summer holidays as our hardworking team takes a well-deserved break and we carry out our annual maintenance to keep our beautiful venue in top shape.

We’ll be back refreshed and ready in the New Year, bringing you more incredible performances, events, and experiences.

Thank you for being part of our Toitoi whānau this year. We can’t wait to see you again in 2025! 🌟

Stay safe, enjoy the holidays, and have a magical summer. 🌞

Ngā mihi nui,
The Toitoi Team

🎹✨ Rocket Man meets Piano Man! 🎶Get ready for a night of unforgettable music as Elton John vs Billy Joel – NZ Tribute co...
21/12/2024

🎹✨ Rocket Man meets Piano Man! 🎶

Get ready for a night of unforgettable music as Elton John vs Billy Joel – NZ Tribute comes to Toitoi on Saturday, April 12th!

Experience the magic of two musical legends brought to life by NZ’s award-winning tribute artists, Cam and Sam. Featuring a full nine-piece band, dazzling costumes, and all your favorite hits, including Uptown Girl, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, We Didn’t Start the Fire, Bennie and the Jets, and more!

Whether you’re an Elton fan, a Billy devotee, or simply love great music, this is a show you don’t want to miss. 🎤

🎟️ Limited presale tickets available now! Don’t wait—secure your spot for this epic celebration of music history. Get your tickets from our website today.

The Boss - Bruce Springsteen Experience is on it's way to Toitoi this August.The Bruce Springsteen Experience is an inte...
19/12/2024

The Boss - Bruce Springsteen Experience is on it's way to Toitoi this August.

The Bruce Springsteen Experience is an international-level show dedicated to honouring the timeless music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Featuring a full nine-piece lineup, this captivating performance delivers an electrifying blend of visual and audio excitement. Audiences are consistently wowed, with standing ovations being the norm.

As 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic "Born to Run" album, The Bruce Springsteen Experience will perform the album in its entirety, along with a selection of The Boss's greatest hits. This special celebration promises to be a remarkable tribute, allowing fans to relive the magic of Springsteen’s music like never before. Don't miss this unforgettable experience!

Grab your tickets from our website now...

Tiny in scale but huge in imagination, Suitcase Show delivers inventive theatre at its best, and it's coming to Toitoi i...
18/12/2024

Tiny in scale but huge in imagination, Suitcase Show delivers inventive theatre at its best, and it's coming to Toitoi in March!

A traveller arrives at a border with a stack of battered cases. From within them, whole worlds will emerge…

Suitcase Show is an eclectic box set of short stories. Dark, spiky, and comic, each one is told out of a suitcase. The staging is inventive, from lo-fi shadowplay to wireless projection, from dancing disembodied hands to narratives that crackle from a 70s stereo suitcase.

Tickets to this incredible show are limited, so get in quickly because this WILL sell out! Get yours from our website today...

🎁🎄 Struggling with gift ideas this year? 🎄🎁Don’t worry—we’ve got something special for everyone in the family. Plus, to ...
14/12/2024

🎁🎄 Struggling with gift ideas this year? 🎄🎁

Don’t worry—we’ve got something special for everyone in the family. Plus, to make your Christmas gifting easy and stress-free we’ll pop your tickets into a festive envelope for you, ready for gifting! Just add the option when you buy your tickets online or in person at the the Hastings or Havelock North isite and let us help you wrap up the perfect present (literally)!

A murder mystery evening with a delightful Art Deco twist. It is 1930 and the reunion of the cast and crew of 'The Mothe...
13/12/2024

A murder mystery evening with a delightful Art Deco twist.

It is 1930 and the reunion of the cast and crew of 'The Mother of Pearls', our glorious Premiere, that opened our auspicious Opera House in 1915 yet ended in such ghastly grisliness.

You will be served Martinis, canapes and red herrings at Cedric's cocktail bar. Feathers will fly, heads will roll, secrets, jealousies, and ambitions will expose the tragic demise in seat B2.

Fifi Firefly, Madeleine-May Mist, Reggie Ramsbottom and Ursula Pendragon look forward to seeing you all again.

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to stand on the Opera House stage and look out towards the audience? Would you ...
13/12/2024

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to stand on the Opera House stage and look out towards the audience? Would you like to take a peek in the dressing-rooms frequented by world renowned performers? Or perhaps you’re a history buff who wants to discover the history behind the beautiful buildings within Toitoi - Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre?

This summer the Hastings isite Visitor Information centre invite you to join them on a behind the scenes guided tour of Toitoi.

Don't miss this unique opportunity, get your tickets from our website now...

🎁🎄Struggling with gift ideas this year? 🎄🎁Don’t worry—we’ve got something special for everyone in the family. Plus, to m...
12/12/2024

🎁🎄Struggling with gift ideas this year? 🎄🎁
Don’t worry—we’ve got something special for everyone in the family. Plus, to make your Christmas gifting easy and stress-free we’ll pop your tickets into a festive envelope for you, ready for gifting! Just add the option when you buy your tickets online, or in person at the Hastings & Havelock North isites!

✨ In Other Words - Tickets on sale NOW! ✨In Other Words tells the story of Arthur and Jane, whose lifelong love is threa...
09/12/2024

✨ In Other Words - Tickets on sale NOW! ✨

In Other Words tells the story of Arthur and Jane, whose lifelong love is threatened by the gradual onset of Alzheimer's.

Starring the acclaimed real-life couple Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Hurst, this is a rare opportunity to see two of New Zealand’s finest actors share the stage in a two-hander for the first time.

Connected by the timeless music of Frank Sinatra, this intimate, humorous and deeply moving story explores the effects of dementia and the transformative power of music to help us remember the past, reconnect with the present and hope for the future.

Tickets to this incredible show are on sale now, head to our website to get yours before they're gone.

Figment Productions

💪 Chopper is back and he's heading to Toitoi this May with his new show - The Last Hard Bastard on Earth! 🌏The year is 2...
09/12/2024

💪 Chopper is back and he's heading to Toitoi this May with his new show - The Last Hard Bastard on Earth! 🌏

The year is 2030. Humanity is all but wiped out, and there is only one man who can save us from the Softcockalypse.

For too long, we thought that things like 'gentle parenting', 'love languages' and 'paper straws’ were a good idea until self-diagnosing whingers and 37 types of milk destroyed civilisation...

Then, like a glorious moustachioed phoenix, a hard bastard arose from the beta cuck ashes to restart humankind.

Strap in! Chopper is back, just in time….to live again!

Head to our website to get your tickets now!

Address

101 Hastings Street South
Hastings
4120

Telephone

+6468715289

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Santa’s Big Helpers are bringing the holiday cheer on Monday December 9th for Assembly Room Tunes. Don't miss out on this magical morning of music and connection. Get your tickets from our website now...

Don't miss the funniest start to the silly season you'll see this year! Flaming Mojo are bringing their signature LOLs to Toitoi this Saturday with Holiday Hijinks: An Improvised Christmas Spectacular! Head to our website to grab your tickets now, and get ready to laugh your stockings off!

Don't miss the silliest start to the silly season ever with Holiday Hijinks: An improvised Christmas Spectacular! Saturday Dec 7th - Tickets on our website!

Don't miss your chance to see ABBAsolutely fABBAulous, Dancing Queen: A Tribute To ABBA, coming to Toitoi TONIGHT! Far from being ‘just another cover band’, Dancing Queen: A Tribute To ABBA is a full-scale concert production featuring more than two hours of fun, energetic musical performances with a live backing band, replica costumes, theatrical lighting and FX and all the dancing an ABBA fan can handle. Get your tickets from our website or at the door!

Calling all ABBA fans! Join us for a night of iconic music and dancing with Dancing Queen: A Tribute to ABBA. Don’t miss out! 🎶 Saturday November 16th at Toitoi Opera House! Get your tickets now - https://www.toitoivenues.co.nz/whats-on/event/839027/dancing-queen-a-tribute-to-abba

The Michael Jackson HIStory Show is coming to Toitoi on Saturday 17th May!

Shakespeare Like You’ve Never Seen: The Tempestuous Hits Toitoi!
Shakespeare Like You’ve Never Seen: The Tempestuous Hits Toitoi!

Don't miss out! On Saturday, October 19th at 7:30pm Toitoi Opera House will be transformed into a whirlwind of Elizabethan hilarity. Award-winning comedian Penny Ashton (Promise and Promiscuity, Olive Copperbottom, The Panel RNZ) returns to Hastings with her brand-new musical, The Tempestuous – A Shrew'd New Comedy by Will Shakespeare and Penny Ashton. Princess Rosa is in for the journey of a lifetime. With her father, King Enzo, now out of the picture, she must navigate the choppy seas of a wild kingdom filled with belching stepfathers, lecherous suitors, mischievous witches, and magical hijinks. Will she find her way to destiny? Only one thing’s for sure—you’ll be laughing all the way through this riotous ride! Penny Ashton takes the stage solo, embodying 11 colorful characters in this uproarious tale, and she does it with her signature wit and comic timing. Whether you’re a die-hard Shakespeare fan or just in for a fun night out, The Tempestuous offers a fresh take on the Bard’s work, laced with modern humor and brilliant musical moments. Get your tickets today - https://www.toitoivenues.co.nz/home/event/853306/the-tempestuous-a-shrewd-new-comedy-by-will-shakespeare

Don't miss Penny Ashton's new show The Tempestuous, Saturday October 19th at Toitoi! Grab your tickets before they're all gone from our website...

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What is Toitoi - Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre?

In the heart of Hastings, Toitoi will be a hub for cultural, community and commercial activity. Education and hospitality will add to the life of the centre giving locals and visitors multiple reasons to make Toitoi a vital and vibrant part of their time in Hastings City.

When it’s fully open, Toitoi will mean a lot to all of us . . . it means a lot already!