A poppy tree will again be blossoming in Matangi for Anzac Day with the red crafted flowers set to brighten more of the Waikato district than ever.

In its first year in 2017, the poppy tree installation in the Jack Foster Reserve on Matangi Rd drew wide interest and acclaim.

Part of a district-wide remembrance the decorations will go up again commemorating a hundred years since World War 1.

Pumpkin Night, the most popular family night of the Tamahere year, is on this Saturday, March 10, 3-8pm.

The night is filled with fun for kids and adults alike with food stalls, rides and other activities for kids, big pumpkin and other competitions, and entertainment.

The Trenwith Boys, a talented, local and popular family band, will be setting the music scene.

The Hamilton Section of the Waikato Expressway is to hold an open day this Saturday, March 3 from 10am to 2pm.

A new scale model of the Southern Interchange at Tamahere will be on display in the Ryburn Rd Project Visitor Centre along with timelapse videos showing how bridges and embankments are being built.

Visitors will also be able to take a free, 30-minute bus tour of the work site or watch the project’s survey drones photographing the site from the air.

The indoor bowls season is about to get underway in the Tamahere Community Centre.

It starts on Monday, March 5 and will continue on most Monday nights until early October.

Indoor bowls is a game that is easy to learn and is suitable for all ages and abilities. Equipment is provided as is coaching for beginners.

The spectacularly leafy and peaceful arboretum and sculpture park near Tauwhare is opening free of charge on Waitangi Day.

It follows well-attended, free-entry days on Boxing Day and Anniversary weekend as owners John and Dorothy Wakeling share the park again and gauge interest in saving it from permanent closure.

The couple believe they have almost singlehandedly created a valuable community asset from a wasteland and are keen for the park and the biodiversity that it nurtures to be secured for future generations.

Music in the Meadow, a fundraising concert featuring New Zealand music royalty The Lady Killers, is being held locally on Sunday, February 11.

The event, which will raise funds for Hamilton Boys’ High School rowing teams, will be on from 1pm to 6pm at 259 Raynes Rd.

Main act, The Lady Killers, feature the powerful, belt-em-out vocals of Suzanne Lynch, Tina Cross and Jackie Clarke.

Following the success of its ‘Best Christmas market’ in December the Tamahere Lions are sponsoring another five markets this year.

More than 1400 shoppers checked out the Christmas market, many stall holders sold all their stock and there were many calls for more markets, said Lions’ spokeswoman Susan McHugh.

Styled this time as the ‘Best Artisan Market’, they will be held 9am to 1pm on Saturday, April 14, June 23, August 4 and December 1.

The first Tamahere Market of the year is on this Saturday, kicking off the New Year with offerings including fresh, local sweetcorn, tote bags and skin products.

“It is great when we have locals participating at the market by bringing along their fresh produce and unique products,” said market organiser Jane Manson.

The January market promised to be laid back, especially in comparison with the rush of the pre-Christmas markets, she said.

The stunning Sculpture Park and arboretum at Waitakaruru – a stone’s throw from Tamahere – is offering free entry on Boxing Day, December 26.

Visitors wanting to enjoy a peaceful, natural environment after the hubbub of Christmas are invited to take a picnic and enjoy the picturesque 17ha with family and friends.

A world away from the hectic, post-Christmas store sales, the park’s paths wind around a magnificent garden and arboretum with rocky outcrops, ponds, flowing water and broad vistas.

The last pre-Christmas Tamahere Market this Saturday is going all out to provide the extras for stockings and presents that are New Zealand-made.

Stallholders have stocked up and are ready to go with – among many other offerings – art, crafts, sculpture, beautiful scents, polished rocks and stylish clothing.

From 8.30am to 1pm there will also be the chance to nab award-winning cheeses along with salamis, avocados and fresh veges, plus free range eggs for the Pav.