Hello, my dear Frankies!

As I write this, I’m also planning our first BBQ of the season! I know the weather has been suuuuuper up and down lately, but when the forecast says two days of sun and NO WIND, I’m going to take my chance 🤭.

And that’s also why I’m seriously excited for Waiuku Twilight Eats & Beats this Friday night. We’ve made it through the dark, cold nights. We deserve some live music, some delicious food and drinks, and a chance to just chill out, wander around town and browse through the shops at leisure!

Check out our guide to Waiuku’s Twilight Eats & Beats below, and hopefully we’ll see you there!

R. and the Frankie Team xx

The Dear Frankie guide to Twilight Eats & Beats 🍜🎶

School holidays + dinner you don’t have to cook + something to keep the kids entertained? Yes please!

This Friday, Waiuku Town Centre is turning into one big outdoor dining room for Twilight Eats & Beats, with local food, music and free entertainment from 4pm–7pm.

COME HUNGRY 🍕

Participating Waiuku eateries will be serving special taster dishes for under $10, so rather than picking one place for dinner, you can wander around town and try a few.

AND! There’s a little incentive to make a proper food crawl out of it too!

Pick up an Eats & Beats entry card from any participating eatery and get it punched each time you buy a taster. Pop your details on the card and drop it into the big white entry box in the town centre square.

There are three lots of $100 in Waiuku Town Vouchers up for grabs.

THE BEATS 🎶

There’ll be music happening around the town centre while you eat, plus free kids’ entertainment and activities, so this one is very much a bring-the-whole-family kind of evening ♥

FRANKIE’S GAME PLAN

Don’t arrive having already decided where you’re eating! We made this mistake last time and then realised there were heaps more options and some places were making one-night-only specials! (Who remembers the caramel churro doughnuts?!) By the time we'd found all the cool new special plates on offer, we were already too full!

Head into town, grab an entry card, look out for the Eats & Beats posters and let everyone choose a couple of tasters.

Kids fed. Adults fed. No dishes (maybe the best part 🤭). A wander around town. Some music. And maybe $100 in Waiuku vouchers at the end of it.

Pretty solid Friday night, really.

TWILIGHT EATS & BEATS​
📅 Friday 2 October
⏰ 4pm–7pm
📍 Waiuku Town Centre
🍴 Taster dishes under $10
🎶 Live music around town
🎈 Free kids’ entertainment
🎟️ Three chances to win $100 in Waiuku Town Vouchers
🌧️ Rain-save date: Saturday 3 October

gilthwit iinccp

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

SSchool holiday fun with Rise and Shine Cafe in Paerata Rise!

👉 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

🎳 Tenpin Bowling & Swim​
9am–3pm at Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre, 29 Franklin Road, Pukekohe ($60 per child)
A supervised school holiday programme combining tenpin bowling and swimming for ages 5–14, bookable ahead.

🏺 Archaeology at Hudsons Beach​
10.30–11.30am at Waiuku Library (Free)
Archaeologist Myfanwy Eaves talks through local fieldwork and the hands-on process of preserving heritage.

🪐 Clay Workshop: Blast Off!​
2.30–3.30pm at Waiuku Library (Free)
Kids get creative moulding their own space creature, planet or astronaut out of clay.

🍻 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. More info here​

🎟️ Housie​
11am–1pm at 78 Nelson Street
Come along for a fun-filled session of Housie with friends and neighbours. Check it out!​

Friday

🩳 Pyjama Day & Swim​
9am–3pm at Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre, Pukekohe ($55 per child)
Games, treats, group activities and swimming for ages 5–14, bookable ahead.

🎨 Rotating Painting: Blast Off!​
10.30–11.30am at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue (Free)
Ages 5–12 create a layered planet painting that rotates to change scenes.

👽 Design-Your-Own Space Creature Workshop​
10.30–11.30am at Waiuku Library, 10 King Street (Free, booking required, limited to 20 kids)
Delivered by Manabell, this hands-on session lets kids dream up their very own space creature.

🎶 Twilight Eats & Beats​
4–7pm in Waiuku town centre (Free entry, tasting dishes under $10)
Live music, family entertainment and outdoor dining fill the town centre for the evening.

🎧 DJ Joe Knows​
7–11pm at Little Ed, 36 Edinburgh Street, Pukekohe
Smooth house, remixes and relaxed dining for a laid-back Friday night out.

🧠 Family Quiz Night​
5–7pm at Rise n Shine Cafe, 16 Jonah Lomu Drive, Paerata (No team fee)
A family-friendly quiz night with a licensed bar, alcoholic slushies and a playground for the kids, everyone welcome.

Saturday

🔧 DEANZ Repair Café​
10am–1pm at Franklin Room, Level 1, Franklin: The Centre, 12 Massey Avenue, Pukekohe (Free, donations welcome)
Volunteers lend a hand repairing sewing, electrical items, clocks, leather, tech, bikes and more.

⛵ Heritage Talk: When a Dream Set Sail​
10.30–11.30am at Waiuku Library (Free)
Bill Deed shares the story behind his dream to restore a sailing ship in Waiuku.

🎪 School Holiday Scramble​
2pm and 6pm at Buckland Hall, Buckland ($10 at the door)
A family circus-variety show with free popcorn included.

🏉 Counties Manukau Steelers v Hawke's Bay​
Gates 3.30pm, kick-off 5.05pm at Navigation Homes Stadium, 21 Stadium Drive, Pukekohe
Grandstand tickets run $25 adult/$10 child, embankment $10 adult and free for under-14s, with bus and train travel included.

🎧 DJ Red Ren​
7–11pm at Little Ed, 36 Edinburgh Street, Pukekohe
House music and crowd favourites, with the kitchen open until close.

🌿🥂 Potting & Prosecco​
6pm at Botanica on Bowen, Waiuku
Bring up to 8 of your own plants for a relaxed spring repotting session with a grazing platter and prosecco included. All the details here​

🌱 Crop Swap Pukekohe​
1pm at The Stevenson Room, above the library at Franklin: The Centre, Massey Avenue
Meet local growers and gardeners to swap and share your harvests.

Sunday

🥕 Franklin Country Market​
9am–1pm at Pukekohe Park, Buckland Road entrance
Browse homegrown produce, handmade crafts, antiques, collectables and car-boot stalls, with food trucks and live music. Check it out!​

🥬 Foodbasket of Franklin​
11am–3.30pm at Pukekohe's Pioneer Cottage, 9 Stadium Drive, Pukekohe (Free)
Explore Franklin's vegetable-growing history, with hot soup and scones cooked on the cottage's historic coal range.

🏉 Bledisloe Cup Tour​
2–3pm at Patumahoe Rugby Football Club, 10 Mauku Road (Free)
Come see the trophy up close, join in rugby activities and enter the kids' draw for a trip to the test.

🏃 Kahawai Point Coastal Classic​
10am–10.35am starts at Paddock to Pantry
Choose your challenge from an 8km fully competitive race, a 5km run or a 5km community walk, all chip-timed with a finish-line prizegiving and food trucks. All the details here​

📮 Pukekohe Stamp Club​
1.30–3pm at the Anglican Church Hall, corner of Wesley and Queen Streets
Browse the monthly stamp competition or pick up something from the sales table, all welcome.

🛍️ Market at Pollok Hall​
9am–1pm at Pollok Hall, 4 Cemetery Road, Pollok
A community market with local stalls to browse.

🧘 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. More info here​

monday

⚽ Franklin United Holiday Programme​
9am–3pm Monday to Wednesday at Bledisloe Park, John Street, Pukekohe ($135 for all three days)
Football skills, small-sided games, shooting and a tournament for ages 6–13.

🕺 Blast from the Past Party & Swim​
9am–3pm at Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre ($55 per child)
Old-school party games, dancing, food and swimming for ages 5–14, bookable ahead.

🌟 Starry Night Sky Jar​
10.30–11.30am at Waiuku Library (Free)
Decorate your own glowing night-sky lantern jar, limited jars supplied so bring your own if you can.

♻️ Composting Workshop​
11am–2pm at Waiuku Community Hall, 10 King Street (Free, registration required)
Learn the basics of composting at home, numbers are limited so register ahead.

🍻 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

🎳 Bounce & Swim​
9am–3pm departing from Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre ($60 per child)
A supervised trip to BOUNCE followed by swimming for ages 5–14, bookable ahead.

🧠 Optimise Your Workout​
7pm at RX Fitness 235, Waiuku ($20)
Learn practical tools for working with your brain, body and nervous system in the gym and everyday life, open to everyone. Check it out!​

🍕 Kids Pizza Making​
2–3.30pm at Pizzata, 7A Glasgow Road, Pukekohe ($45 per child)
Mini chefs aged 6–12 mix, knead and stretch their own Neapolitan pizza dough and pick their toppings. All the details here​

Wednesday

🌊 Massey Park Pool Wave Rave​
9am–3pm departing from Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre ($60 per child)
A supervised trip featuring waves, hydroslides, games and swimming, bookable ahead.

🤸 The Big Bounce​
One-hour sessions between 9.30am and 2.30pm at Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre, 29 Franklin Road, Pukekohe ($14 per person plus booking fee)
Eight inflatables, an under-five area and a free pool swim after your session.

♻️ The Great Waiuku Recycling Challenge​
10am–12pm at Waiuku Library (Free, drop-in)
Hands-on waste sorting and recycling challenges for kids.

🪐 Clay Workshop: Blast Off!​
10.30–11.30am at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue (Free)
A space-themed clay creation session for the school holidays.

🚶 Historical Walk​
10am–12pm starting at the Cafe, 3 West Street, Pukekohe
Coffee first, then a 2-hour guided walk past 10+ historic Franklin landmarks with Franklin Historical Society, wrapping up at Fire Station Eatery. More info here​

Word Scramble answer: Twilight Picnic

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