Fireworks at Shore — Orewa Surf Sounds 2026

It wasn't planned at all — but somehow we all ended up in the car. We were heading to Orewa Beach for Surf Sounds 2026. Thirty minutes up the motorway, we hit the kind of traffic you don't usually see on a Hibiscus Coast weekend. Parking became a small adventure, but we found that a private property turned into a pop-up car park for the day. $10 for a stress-free spot felt like a bargain.

A long row of food trucks lined the reserve — the beach was already alive with the smell of food before we even got our bearings. Our kids, having skipped lunch, chose a basket of popcorn chicken, chips and mini donuts. PeNnY went for a brisket burger. I ordered the lamb toastie, and then — somewhat recklessly — a Gözleme.

If you haven't come across Gözleme before: it's a Turkish flatbread filled with ingredients and cooked on a large curved iron called a saç. The vendor made each one to order, pressing spinach, feta and chicken into fresh dough before folding and grilling it until golden, then slicing it into wedges with a curved blade. It's a little like a quesadilla — familiar enough that my kids, who generally prefer the known over the new, each ate a full piece without complaint. That counts as a win.

While PeNnY sorted the picnic blanket, the girls ran around the long, wide stretch of Orewa Beach. Soon, Jin's friend's family arrived and they mingled together happily.

The light shifted. People started staking out their patches of grass expecting the 8:30pm fireworks show. Many children appeared with light sticks, darting between adults' legs. Seeing them, my kids ran to me asking for their own. Min shook her head saying no, perhaps thinking it too babyish, then quietly asked for one about five minutes later. She joined her sisters in the glow.

Just after dark, the fireworks launched from an offshore barge positioned directly in front of the beach. It wasn't the scale of the Hangang River displays we grew up watching — but that's not really the point of a community evening like this. It was exactly right. Even Hyun and Jin, who both find loud, sudden sounds hard, stayed for the whole thing.

The fireworks were so mesmerizing that I couldn't tear my eyes away. They traced colourful lines through the pitch-black night and burst into a brilliant spectacle. As small gasps and applause filled the air along the shoreline, people took in the joy of the sparkling night, cherishing every moment in their hearts.

Back home, the kids were completely spent. They picked up their light sticks for one last wave — then fell asleep almost instantly.