Past events — Neighbours Day Aotearoa

Past events: Neighbours Day Aotearoa

Check out what your neighbours have been up to!

If you haven’t been involved in Neighbours Day yet, this is a great place to see what others did and gain some inspiration. Big or small, online or large events, there are many ways to connect with your community.

In 2020 and 2021 we have had to respond to lockdowns and an increased need for social distancing, so we made sure there were options for those who still wanted social connection while remaining safe during varying lockdown levels.

Notes for neighbours 2021

Notes for neighbours was a way for you to celebrate your neighbours. We asked you to write a poem, reflection or a note to your neighbour and then we chose five favourites to be made into posters that we got posted on billboards across Aotearoa.

Here’s one of our Notes for neighbours winners, Tsana in front of Gail’s note to neighbours poster in Invercargill!

How sweet! Julie’s poster spotted in Tāmaki Makaurau by Bobe and whānau.

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021: Planning and events!

What does it take to plan an event? Check out below…from making and printing off invites to some serious planning dinners (looks like fun). Also, keep scrolling to see what others are doing around Aotearoa. Libraries, neighbours and community groups are all getting together to have fun and get to know each other better.

Newtown artists plan their Neighbours Day event!

“Just wanted to share some photos of the work we've been doing to get our community garden ready for our event next week! We are loving seeing what everyone is doing around the country, thank you so much for sharing all the cool events :)”

Di making up some delicious looking Neighbours Day Aotearoa packs - nom, nom!

“Today, as I posted over 160 invites in to letter boxes, I got to speak to over 10 neighbours, new ones and ones I haven't seen for a while - we really are feeling a strong sense of connection and safer neighbourhood."

Invites are definitely an important part of planning!

Sometimes planning requires someone mowing the lawns. However, it’s not often you do it with a tractor! We’re looking at you, Matthew; those Te Maire School grounds are looking spectacular.

Josh made some pretty cool invites for his Neighbours Day Aotearoa BBQ.

What did Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 look like?

Western House B&B Otekaieke/Kurow had an 'at home' Neighbours Day Aotearoa afternoon and it looks wonderful!

“We had our Neighbours Day BBQ/picnic last night, had a good turnout from folks in our streets. Swapped some silverbeet plants, jams, honey and tickets to the Go Green Expo this coming weekend.” -Tsana

Some people are so well-planned, they hold their event early! Go Daphne and crew. "We had a very congenial gathering at our end of our Drive in Hamilton last evening in perfect weather. And the children enjoyed scooting around on their small bikes. Good to be able to welcome some newcomers."

Not only did they hold a crop swap in Blenheim but they had a multicultural tea party as well! Charlotte explained: “We held a very successful Multicultural Tea Party for Neighbours Day Aotearoa and Race Relations Day in collaboration with Marlborough Multicultural Centre and Red Cross.”

Kerikeri Red Cross held a Neighbours Day Aotearoa sausage sizzle.

Thanks Martin for your pics of Tongariro street, Mt Eden celebrating Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 in style!

Browns Bay Village Green building community - see what we did there?

“We had an incredible BLOCK PARTY in Papakura. Celebrating our community for Neighbours Day Aotearoa. Lots of fun!”

We love this idea! Nothing like combining Neighbours Day Aotearoa with Easter! Marion reported that "Pitt Street Methodist Church...celebrate this event every year. This year we reached out to 23 businesses in Pitt Street and Karangahape Road with a friendly greeting (using your Neighbours Day image). Accompanying our card was a posy bowl of flowers and some small chocolate Easter eggs. We received some happy smiles from shopkeepers.

"I just thought I would share photos prior to our Neighbours Day event last Saturday. I think this would make five years that we have run the same event. We put our coffee machine in the garage and invite the street to come and join us for a cuppa in the driveway. People bring something to share to eat (without being asked). It's such a great thing to do, we do it twice a year. You don't have to have a coffee machine to do this, just an electric jug would do with tea bags and instant coffee, BYO mug and chair. "

Go Masterton! The Masterton Red Cross and Masterton Neighbourhood Support organised and hosted this community garden event in Oxford street where plants, food and connection was the order of the day.

Paekākāriki plant and produce swap. Looks like a sunny day in windy Wellington, made all the sunnier by some great neighbours sharing the neighbours day love!

Fielding gets its Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 groove on! "Some photos of the great evening we had in our street...Had a local family band, Rhythm & Genes, play for 4 hours until 8pm"

“We were fortunate to get 1000 basil plants donated by Kings Plant Barn, so that our staff from various sites (Lifeline, Family Works, Enliven, Shine) could take a plant and gift them to their Neighbours. As well as local businesses around our support office in Epsom. We also were able to get 2000 seed packets from Bunnings to give to communities and families we support as well.”

Kāinga Ora getting there Neighbours Day Aotearoa groove on!

Forrest Hill residents had a Neighbours Day Aotearoa plant swap, organiser Phoebe reported that they "had an awesome morning on Saturday and a great turn out of plant enthusiasts and their plants! Was a delight to hear little groups chatting all things plant related in such a relaxed friendly manner."

“My first note to one of my neighbours! Also setting up the plant swap in the library today!! I am just so excited!! Note featured with a photo of my cat.” (Nice cat there, Kaitlyn.)

“Communicare Glendowie Centre had our neighbours day today. People brought plants, flowers, seeds and vegetables to share. They enjoyed picking what they wanted. It was a great atmosphere (lots of smiling).”

Louise reported that they had "a nice little turn out for our afternoon tea” in Dunedin and that they “finally got to put some names to faces we’ve seen about!"

Woodville neighbours get their plant swap under way.

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021: Neighbours making use of their berms with this berm party.

A BBQ potluck in Rānui saw a chance to get “so many households together to put names to faces and faces to houses.”

Central Taranaki Safe Community Trust had a few weeks of events!

Te Atatū South Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021

“A small group of neighbours and I worked together to organize our street party. The party was really enjoyable…All 36 households in the street were invited to bring a plate of food and drink to share, and something gardening related to swap. Members of 15 families took part; an additional 4 sent apologies, so that was a really good response…We started around 4 pm on Sat 27th March, with children’s games (like twister, egg and spoon races, bubble wands, noughts and crosses, ball-games). The kids loved it. New friendships were made, which continued the next day when the cul-de-sac was full of children all day, and the following days! The adults had a good time too. With some extra layers to keep the chill at bay, and yummy foods from our Asian, Iranian, Pasifika, Kiwi and European cultures, we chatted, shared stories and laughed, until the party finished at 9.30 pm. We’ll definitely do this again next year! Marlies reported their Neighbours Day Aotearoa events have “made a significant difference in the general feeling of community and connection in our street. Now people stop and chat when walking or even from the car, and we have had a few get togethers, this one being the biggest, longest and best attended.”

Western House B&B Otekaieke/Kurow Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021

Check out the wonderful video they sent us here!

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 at school

Classes at three North Otago schools made seed gifts, and potting up seedlings to give away during Neighbours Day Aotearoa week. We reckon you must have some pretty cool teachers!

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021, Whau Valley

Andrea from the Whau Valley sent us these great pics of their Neighbours Day Aotearoa event: “Over 25 neighbours came and were able to enjoy the evening with each other. We had a produce sharing table…I didn’t get a photo…but there was heaps of stuff (avocados, limes, chillies, quinces, tomatoes, Maori potatoes, pak choy, lettuce, grapes and flowers).

Ages ranged from 16 to 85. The evening was a massive success, with people inviting their neighbours for dinner, sharing ideas, resources and interests...lots of wanting to continue their connections.”

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021, Mangawhai Shared Garden

Angela from Mangawhai sent in pics of their Neighbours Day Aotearoa working bee. They have a seedling swap box and will continue to maintain this as an Environmental Science class, all year. Wow!

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 with Te Maire School, Northland

What a great event in Northland, organiser Paula reported: “We had a great turn out of at least 40 adults and 40 kids, and served about 120 hotdogs and lots of ice cream! Had some lovely feedback from attendees, and a mix of all ages.”

The Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 “Shout your street” in Hastings

Cissy, Kyle, Cath and Shane with Bay Espresso were offering free coffee, hot chocolates and seeds for one lucky street in Hastings! All you had to do was say why your street was the best! How cool is that!

Some kids get a hot choc before school today!

Some happy dogs getting to know each other while their owners get a free coffee.

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 in your library!

Whangarei Libraries display and Great Plant Swap event! Wahoo!

Koraunui Stokes Valley Community Hub have some great ideas for Neighbours Day!

Motueka Library celebrate their neighbours.

Gore and Mataura district libraries have put up displays of books to promote kindness and neighbourliness.

Neighbours Day 2021 Dargaville style: The Dargaville library has a seed and plant swap, notes of kindness and even a joke or ‘tip’ swap.

Whangarei Library’s plant and seed swap was a busy success!

“Neighbours Day being advertised in my local library in Paekākāriki. Our librarian is always ahead of the game! I’ll be taking down the plants I’ve been growing on Wednesday for others to share.”

Whangaparāoa library’s Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021

They sent us some great pics so we thought we would share them as a how to hold an event! Check it out!

Make a poster for your event! This is very important - it will let people know what you are planning and when to come.

3. Don’t get so busy you can’t enjoy the little things!

4. Share your produce/excess. And don’t forget to share your pics with us! Events can be hard work -so share your successes!

Good neighbours are everywhere:

Sandy is the sort of neighbour I bet we all wish we had!

Lyndon has been growing plants and neighbourliness for the last 3 years!

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2020

Neighbours Day 2020 coordinators, Cissy and Sam launched Neighbours Day 2020: 10 Days, 10 Ways. Due to lockdown, this went online and we held an online Zoom festival instead.

Some of you got creative and held events online, others got in early or waited until we were out of lockdown.