Bay Dreams not returning to Nelson

Bay Dreams will not be returning to Nelson next year - however, it will be replaced with another concert.

The annual music festival began in Tauranga in 2016 and expanded to Nelson in 2019, with the first edition drawing a crowd of 20,000 to Trafalgar Park - many of those from outside of the region.

From 2021, the event moved to Rutherford Park and the Trafalgar Centre.

Festival director Toby Burrows told

Nelson Weekly that a new South Island location for the event in 2024 will be announced in the coming weeks.

“It was always our intention to move it around and we felt now was a good time to take it somewhere new,” he says. “Events have cycles and we want to keep Bay Dreams fresh.”

Toby says the festival was “well-received” in Nelson.

“It was a challenge bringing such a large-scale event to a city we didn’t really know, but we worked really closely with stakeholders and the community and put it on the map in Nelson.”

He says the festival could make a return to the Top of the South at some stage, but they will “take each year as it comes”.

“We still have Nelson firmly in our sights for Bay Dreams and other events.”

He says a new concert for Nelson is currently being finalised for next summer and will include international acts, however, it will be targeted at a different audience from Bay Dreams.

Older ratepayers missing out

MAX FRETHEY Local Democracy Reporter

Many of Nelson’s over-65s could be missing out on a rates rebate at a time when every dollar counts.

The number of people applying for a rates rebate has remained relatively static over the past five years with 1,761 applicants in the 2022/23 financial year – about 9.4 per cent of residential ratepayers.

Nikki Harrison, Nelson City Council’s group manager corporate services, says the stagnant number of applicants is “quite surprising” given the city’s increasing population of people who are over 65, and therefore more likely to be retirees – a demographic that is generally well-positioned to take advantage of rates rebates.

Nelson’s population of over-65s was 8,400 in 2013 and is predicted to be 14,700 by 2028.

“We suspect there are a number of people who would qualify for a rates rebate who haven’t applied for one, so we would urge you to check [council’s website] to see if you or your family members may benefit from this.”

Caroline Budge, manager of Age Concern Nelson Tasman, says the high cost of living is putting “extra pressure” on pensioners, particularly those that rent, because of their lack of disposable income.

“The cost of food at the moment is re- ally high, and then obviously it’s winter now, so people will be worrying about using their heating too much in case they get landed with a big bill,” she says. “They’ll be giving up things in order to cover other bills, I imagine, and that’s always a concern.”

While Caroline would “like to think” people knew that rates rebates were an option, she says Age Concern Nelson Tasman will probably step up their communications to make sure that older people know the rebates could be an option.

“We certainly point people in the right direction ... It’s really important that they do know they’re entitled to it.”

Older ratepayers also have the option of postponing the payment of their rates, which gives them more options and flexibility along with the opportunity to stay in their houses longer.

The maximum rates rebate this year is $750 and, depending on how much you pay in rates and your number of dependents, people earning between $30,000 and $54,000 are eligible.

You can learn more about your eligibility for a rates rebate in person, over the phone, or online. Information can also be mailed out.

Nikki adds that the number of people not paying their rates is increasing. Normally at the end of the financial year, council would have around $500,000 of unpaid rates. This year, it’s closer to $900,000.