"Ōtautahi locals - This newsletter will RUIN your free time... in the best way" 🔥
*NEW FREE LOCAL NEWSLETTER* ⚡️ Fresh workshops & events, weird hobbies & advice, creative deals & career possibilities, and meeting local legends doing cool sh*t along the way. 💡 Plan your weekend, accidentally reinvent your life. 💌 Inspiration drops every Wednesday at noon.
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(Hectic!) Speed Puzzling Champs 🧩 and Mini (Indoor!) Skate Ramps 🛹
Published 24 days ago • 5 min read
Bonjour Dabblers!
Happy almost-long weekend?! Lots of things happening that fall under "the (wider) arts" umbrella, a BUNCH of stuff happening in the coming days, and a (semi-deliberate) minimal amount on Mon/Tue, so you can recoup and explore your own things (or lack of things) 💗
There were murmurs about having more events (and so choice) at a glance, so we're rolling with this quick-fire format again this week (plus there's so much on, it's way too hard to narrow down the cool stuff)! As always, share your thoughts (poll below if you're feelin' clicky instead)! Without further ado-dooo-dooooo...
P.S., how neat is this? "Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre is built above a spring which has been a source of water and life to the surrounding area and people for centuries. In te ao Māori, matatiki/springs are bearers of knowledge and wellbeing. It is appropriate that this place has become a place of culture, art and learning"
🌸 Spring Market("100 stalls, food trucks, live music, 60+ murals and activities for the kids.Heirloom seedlings, plants, crafts, student enterprise, local business and sustainable products") - https://www.facebook.com/events/2969189706570058
🔊 Voice Activation("a deep dive journey, into yourself. Revealing the patterns of conditioning that are holding you back. Releasing layers & revealing your true authentic voice") - https://joydahmae.com/shop/otautahi
🧩 This initially seemed a bit sus when we found the Canterbury Regional Speed Puzzling Champs, happening this Saturday... but after digging around the NZJPA (NZ Jigsaw Puzzle Assn.) site and watching the Seven Sharp snippet and listening to the RNZ interview, it looks legit and actually sounds kinda stressful but fun!
Unfortunately (great for them, though), the inaugural Canty competition has already sold out in all categories, but you could still head along and watch! Or register for the 6th December 'Online Pairs Speed Puzzle' event (or waitlist the individual Nov event).
The current 2025 NZ champ has a time of 43:35 for a 500-piece! (And international time is currently 36:02 - wild!) Maybe those childhood years of dining-table-puzzling will pay off and next year will be your PIÈCE de résistance...!? (sorry, had to)
💪 Ahh, Labour Day... Possibly the "dabbliest" day on the collective calendar?! A time to do ALL OF THE THINGS or NONE OF THE THINGS, to shift seasons (in any sense you wish that to be), to connect with others, or to spend time away from them...
The first Labour Day celebration was 28th October 1890, which saw trade union members and supporters floating down the main streets' centres (on parade floats, naturally), witnessed by govt. employees who were given the day off to attend and celebrate. Interestingly, it was 1840 (50 years prior!) that Samuel Parnell won the right to an eight-hour work day and kicked off the whole thing for us here in NZ. Wonder what the hold up was...? Maybe they couldn't decide on a mascot...? Anyway, it became a statutory public holiday in 1900 (on the second Wednesday in October), and subsequently 'Mondayised' in 1910 (and changed to the fourth Monday in October).
We'd LOVE to hear what your Labour Day/Weekend plans are (especially if it's "absolutely nooothing")! Let’s see those scheduled naps.
Here are your quick links: Got a community event/fun thing to share? That's this one[free] Classifieds, paid events or newsletter sponsorship? Intro offers active[paid] Got a vacancy to share or need a volunteer? Chuck it here, too[free] Keen to share your deepest hobby-love? Brag away here[free]
Now go utilise the wiiiiind in some way 🌬️⛵️🪁🧺
C.x Publisher, The Dabbling Ōtautahi’s Unofficial Hobby-Hypewoman
"Ōtautahi locals - This newsletter will RUIN your free time... in the best way" 🔥
Your weekly nudge to be a delightfully terrible beginner at something new 🤸
*NEW FREE LOCAL NEWSLETTER* ⚡️ Fresh workshops & events, weird hobbies & advice, creative deals & career possibilities, and meeting local legends doing cool sh*t along the way. 💡 Plan your weekend, accidentally reinvent your life. 💌 Inspiration drops every Wednesday at noon.
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