International rugby league, artisanal food and petrol-fuelled 'toys' will capture the attention of Aucklanders and visitors alike this weekend, making Auckland the place to be.
The action kicks off this Thursday night, 31 October when The Cloud provides the backdrop for Taste of Auckland, one of the signature events on Auckland's calendar and a chance for the region to celebrate everything that is great about the local restaurant, food and drink scene.
Across the city, the ASB Showgrounds will host Big Boys Toys from Friday until Sunday. The popular annual event will feature exhibitions that range from classic cars to powerful motorcycles, construction tools and technology.
Some of the finest extreme athletes in the world will come together to thrill the crowds at the 'Action Arena', including X-Games star Levi Sherwood who will be retiring after the upcoming Monster Energy S-X Open Auckland, on 16 November.
On Saturday, the best rugby league players will take over the traditional home of rugby union, Eden Park, for an exciting international tripleheader. The day will feature the best of New Zealand, our Pacific neighbours, Australia and Great Britain.
With the Oceania Cup on the line, fans are in for a treat. Samoa and Fiji kick off the day at 2.20pm followed by the Kiwis versus Great Britain Rugby League at 5pm. Australia and Tonga XIII will bring the curtain down at 7.40pm.
Today, rugby league fans will get the first glimpse of their favourite players up close when all six teams get together at the Mangere East Rugby League Football Club for a special fan day from 5pm until 6.30pm. Steve Armitage, General Manager - Destination at Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development, says this weekend once again highlights what the region has to offer.
"Events are a big part of our strategy for growing Auckland's visitor economy. Combined with everything else Auckland has to offer, from world-class restaurants, beautiful nature and extreme sports, we should get ourselves ready for more action-packed weekends."
Visitors and locals are encouraged to use public transport to get to events. Travel is also included in matchday tickets for the Great Britain Rugby League Tour and Oceania Cup matches at Eden Park.
For up-to-date information on transport to and from the rugby, please visit the Auckland Transport website.
