Hello, my dear Frankies!

One of Franklin's biggest and most colourful festivals is coming up in just two weeks, and I am SO excited!

​Waiuku Diwali was last held in 2024, and wow, what a celebration it was! So much beautiful food, dancing, music, colour and happiness, with people coming from all over Franklin (and much further afield!) to join in the fun.

And how lucky are we to have something like this right here in our own backyard?!

I feel like this is the kind of magical cultural experience we'd usually have to travel into the city for. But instead, we get to pop down to our little Waiuku rugby fields and find ourselves surrounded by the sights, sounds, flavours and traditions of a whole different culture. How wonderful is that?!

I just love that our little corner of the world has events like this. There's something so special about people sharing their cultures and traditions with the rest of us, and getting to experience all the beautiful things that make our community what it is.

So pop Saturday 14 November in your diaries, grab your friends and family, and get ready for a gorgeous celebration!

And in the meantime, have a little look at all the other wonderful things happening around Franklin over the next seven days.

See ya out there!

R. and the Frankie Team xx

A little bit of India, a whole lot of Waiuku! 🪔✨

Waiuku Diwali is back, and you're all invited!

There's something pretty special about seeing our little corner of Franklin come alive with different cultures, traditions, music and celebrations. And in November, Waiuku is getting ready for a beautiful evening celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights!

After a wonderful community turnout in 2024, Waiuku Diwali is returning on Saturday 14 November, and we'd love to see lots of our Frankies there!

So, what exactly is Diwali?

Diwali is one of the most important celebrations in Indian culture, celebrated by millions of people around the world.

Often called the Festival of Lights, it's a celebration of light overcoming darkness, good triumphing over evil, and the joy of new beginnings.

Families come together, homes are decorated with beautiful lights and colourful rangoli patterns, delicious food is shared, and there's plenty of music, laughter and celebration.

And how lovely that we get to experience a little of that right here in Waiuku!

Bringing a little more colour to Franklin

Waiuku held its first big Diwali festival at the rugby club in November 2024, with traditional dancing, music and multicultural food all part of the celebration.

The event was so well attended that the Waiuku Business & Development Association even gave it a special mention in its annual report!

And now it's coming back for another year.

I think one of the loveliest things about events like this is the opportunity to experience something different, learn a little more about our neighbours and celebrate all the wonderful cultures that make up our Franklin community.

Plus, who doesn't love a good community festival?!

Come and join the celebrations!

Whether Diwali is something your family celebrates every year, or you've never experienced it before, this is a gorgeous opportunity to get out, bring the kids, meet some new people and enjoy an evening in our community.

Saturday 14 November 2026​
​4pm–9.30pm​
​Waiuku Rugby Club

Follow Waiuku Diwali on Instagram for the latest updates and event information.

Let's get behind the wonderful people bringing this celebration to our town and make it another beautiful night for Waiuku! ♥

mrmuse giltsh

Unscramble the letters above to find the Franklin-related phrase! Answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

Win a Quad Bike for Christmas! 🎄

Andy’s Moto Services in Waiuku is giving away a CFMOTO CForce 110SE quad bike to raise money for Camp Quality, an amazing charity helping Kiwi kids living with cancer enjoy fun, friendship and a break from treatment.

Every dollar raised will go to Camp Quality, with the goal of raising enough to send another child to camp!

🎟️ Tickets: $10 each, 3 for $25 or 5 for $40
🎁 Drawn: Friday 18 December 2026

Grab your tickets online here or pop in and see Liv at Andy’s Moto Services, 6 Court Street, Waiuku.

What a gorgeous way to support a wonderful cause, with a pretty awesome Christmas present up for grabs too! ❤️

👉 Want a featured note on the notice board? - Simply book your feature here or just send us a quick email and we'll help you out!

Thursday

🎂🍸 Cake & Cocktails at Blue Ox​
Blue Ox, Pukekohe
Decorate your own two-layer cake with textured buttercream, florals and piping techniques, with a cocktail on arrival and step-by-step guidance, no experience necessary. More info here​

🍻 Thursday Quiz Night​
6.30–8.30pm at Pukekohe Golf Club
Grab your team and test your trivia skills over a fun night at the club. Check it out!​

🎟️ Housie​
11am–1pm at 78 Nelson Street
Come along for a fun-filled session of Housie with friends and neighbours. All the details here​

🍸 Cocktail Happy Hour​
6–7pm at Little Ed
Enjoy all your cocktail favourites for a little less during this weekly happy hour.

Friday

🥂✨ Bubbles & Sparkles​
Franklin Beauty, teaming up with Hart & Halo
Round two of this popular collab event, come discover something new over bubbles, spots are limited. More info here​

👻 Taste of Terror​
2–4pm at Spookers, 833 Kingseat Road, Kingseat (Ages 8+, $6–$85 plus booking fee)
Take a guided Haunted House visit followed by an actor-free trip through Disturbia. Check it out!​

Saturday

🚒🎃 Pukekohe Fire Brigade Halloween Night​
4.30–7pm at Pukekohe Fire Brigade (4.30–5pm sensory-friendly session, 5–7pm general public, free)
Explore the fire engines, meet Police and Ambulance crews, watch Jaws of Life demos and try the junior firefighter obstacle course, with BBQ sausages and raffles raising money for the Cancer Society.

🪔 Pukekohe Diwali 2026​
4–9pm at PIA Event Centre, 55 Ward Street, Pukekohe (Free)
Celebrate the Festival of Lights with food stalls, kids’ crafts, rides, a live DJ, dance performances, a fashion show, fireworks and giveaways, presented by PIA and the Franklin Indian Cultural Club.

🤠🎃 Halloween at The Bull Rider​
From 6pm at The Bull Rider Bar & Bistro, 29 George Street, Tuakau
Dance, eat and drink the night away with DJ Beatz spinning tunes and an extended happy hour.

🦇 Bat Walk: Finding Franklin Bats​
Mauku
Spend a relaxed evening listening out for pekapeka and learning about our local bats, spaces are limited so register ahead. All the details here​

☕ Chinwags​
4pm at Chinwags
Catch up with the crew over a chat and a coffee. More info here​

🔧 Waiuku Repair Café​
10am–1pm at 5 Hosking Place, Waiuku (Free)
Volunteer fixers lend a hand assessing and repairing clothing, toys, bags, bikes and small household items. Check it out!​

🍬 Spookers Trick or Treat Day​
11am–4pm at Spookers, 833 Kingseat Road, Kingseat ($13 plus booking fee)
A family-friendly Halloween event for the kids out at Spookers. All the details here​

🪩🎃 Kids Halloween Disco Party​
12–2pm at Upstairs Lounge, Waiuku Cosmopolitan Club, 4 Victoria Avenue, Waiuku (Members $10, non-members $15)
A Halloween disco party just for the kids, costumes encouraged.

🧵 Scrapbusters Workshop​
2–4pm at 5 Hosking Place, Waiuku (Free, ages 12+)
Turn leftover fabric and old clothing into useful projects, no sewing experience needed.

🪩🎃 Buckland Hall Spooky Halloween Disco​
5.30–7pm at Buckland Hall, 18 Logan Road, Buckland (Gold-coin entry)
Dance the night away under spooky lights, fog and Halloween decorations.

🍻🎃 Waiuku Cossie Halloween Party​
7–11pm at Sports Bar, Waiuku Cosmopolitan Club, 4 Victoria Avenue, Waiuku
Dress up and dance the night away at the Cossie Club’s Halloween bash.

🎬🎃 Paerata Rise Halloween Movie Night​
8–10pm on The Green outside Rise ‘n Shine Café, 16 Jonah Lomu Drive, Paerata Rise (Free)
Settle in for an outdoor screening of Hotel Transylvania, with dress-up prizes and food and drinks available, bring a picnic rug or bean bag.

Sunday

🍝 Italian Long Lunch at Pizzata​
12pm at Pizzata
Settle in for a long, leisurely Italian-style lunch with good company. More info here​

🚴 Bike Pukekohe: Ride, Roam & Learn​
11am–3pm at Pukekohe Netball Centre, Queen Street (Free)
Bring a bike or scooter for an obstacle course, wheelie competition, orienteering, bike-mechanic help, giveaways and a sausage sizzle.

🥕 Franklin Country Market​
8am at Pukekohe Park Raceway
Browse homegrown produce, handmade crafts, antiques and market stalls, with food trucks, live music and a car boot sale. Check it out!​

🧘 Sunday Stretch Sessions​
9am at Rxfitness235, 42 Belgium Street, Waiuku
Join The Stretch Collective for a 45-minute stretch session to ease into your Sunday. All the details here​

🛍️ Market at Pollok Hall​
9am–1pm at Pollok Hall, 4 Cemetery Road, Pollok (Free entry)
A relaxed first-Sunday country market featuring local stallholders.

monday

🍳 Good Food, Bright Minds​
7–9am at Cafe Queen, Waiuku
A collaboration between Cafe Queen and Sanctuary Retreat offering a nourishing breakfast for school kids every Monday during term time.

🍻 Monday Quiz Night​
7pm at Good Home Pukekohe, 65 Edinburgh Street
Gather your team for a fun weekly quiz night, booking recommended.

🍹 Margherita Monday​
Appetite
Kick off the week with a $15 margarita, because Mondays deserve a little extra sparkle.

Tuesday

🪔 Diwali Storytime​
10.30–11am at Waiuku Civic Centre, 10 King Street, Waiuku (Free)
Enjoy stories, rhymes, singing and dancing for children and whānau celebrating Diwali.

🎙️ DigiKōr+ Waiuku Youth Podcast Programme​
10.30am–12.30pm at Waiuku Library, 10 King Street (Free, booking required)
An eight-week programme for young people not in employment, education or training, covering interviewing, production and podcast-making.

🐎 Melbourne Cup Luncheon​
From 12.30pm at Corporate Lounge, Pukekohe Cosmopolitan Club (Booking essential, $480 table of eight or $600 table of ten)
Enjoy a carvery lunch, cheeseboards, a welcome drink, big-screen racing and the best-dressed competition.

🎨 Painting Club​
6–8pm at Franklin Arts Centre
Bring along whatever you’re working on for two hours of dedicated painting time and connect with other local artists (term time only).

Wednesday

🧘‍♀️ Relaxation Hour with The Pause Society​
7pm at Waiuku Yacht Club
Unwind for an hour of relaxation with The Pause Society.

🧵 Echoes of the Pasifika Rangatahi​
3.30–5pm at Weta Room, Franklin Arts Centre, Pukekohe (Free, ages 14+)
A drop-in programme exploring Pasifika textiles, block printing, sewing and cultural heritage, capacity is limited.

🏃 CMOC Summer Series Orienteering​
4.30–7pm at Pukekohe Park Raceway (start any time 4.30–6pm)
Family-friendly walk-or-run orienteering courses with beginner coaching, free entry for CMOC members.

👋 Anti-Social Social Club for Teens​
3.30pm at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue
A brand-new after-school hangout for teens of all kinds, social, not-so-social, or anywhere in between, everyone’s welcome. More info here​

Word Scramble answer: Summer Lights

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