Event Host Support: Info Pack & Promo Guide
Kia ora, and thanks for hosting an EcoFest event. This page has what you need, from registering your event to counting heads on the day.
Work through Start here and Plan and run your event. If you have the time and people to do more, Going further has ideas to deepen your event’s impact. Questions? Your support hub is happy to help.
Key dates: registrations open 28 October. EcoFest runs 22 March – 22 April (Earth Day).
Step 1
Start here
Who can host, what EcoFest looks for, and how to register.
Get started
Who can host? Individuals, community and volunteer groups, non-profits, schools, businesses and business associations. Your event needs to fit EcoFest’s focus: sustainability, climate resilience and well-being, or caring for the environment.
Does it cost anything? Registering is free. You cover your own event costs, such as venue hire or materials. Some venues offer free space for EcoFest events, see Venues.
Who supports you? One of four EcoFest support hubs, depending on where your event is. Your hub approves your listing, answers questions and can lend you a teardrop banner. See Contacts.
Watch the Host 101 webinar
A short video on preparing your event, the support you can expect and where to find more help.
Join the host WhatsApp group
Share tips, ask questions and hear about opportunities first. Ask your hub to add you. The group is for hosts and festival matters only.
EcoFest benchmarks and entry criteria
Placeholder: benchmarks and entry criteria are being finalised and will be added here.
Register your event
- Plan the basics first: date, time, venue and how people book.
- Fill in one form per event. If the same event runs on several dates, one form covers them all.
- Organiser: search first. Start typing your group’s name. If you’ve hosted before, select it from the list. Only create a new organiser if yours isn’t there, so your events stay together.
- Add a clear landscape photo you have permission to use. Large images take a moment: wait for the success message before leaving the page.
- You’ll get a confirmation email (check your junk folder). Your hub reviews your event, gets in touch if anything needs clarifying, then publishes it in the online programme.
Register early. Events registered by 31 January have a chance to appear in the printed festival guide.
Need to change something after you’ve submitted? Email your hub. No confirmation email? Contact your hub straight away.
EcoFest curates a diverse programme. Final selection is at the organising team’s discretion.
Step 2
Plan and run your event
Everything a first-time host needs, from planning to the day itself.
Planning checklist
Now – 22 February: prepare
- Plan your event (see Plan a great event)
- Book your venue and catering, or set up your online platform
- Set up bookings or ticketing, if you need them
- Register your event with EcoFest (by 31 January for the printed guide)
- Apply for any permits and permissions
- Plan how you’ll promote your event
22 February – 22 March: final prep
- Start promoting and remind people who’ve booked
- Do your health and safety prep
- Check permits and permissions are confirmed
- Check your listing on ecofest.org.nz is correct
- Browse the programme and book into other events
22 March – 22 April: the festival
- Run your event and count attendees
- Ask attendees for feedback
- Fill in the host feedback form
- Enjoy other EcoFest events
Plan a great event
Put the eco in EcoFest
- What habit, skill or mindset will people take home?
- How does your event welcome people of different ages, backgrounds and abilities?
- How does it honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi? (Ideas in Going further.)
Bring the festive
- What’s the “aha” moment? For example, from “I’ve never grown a thing” to “I can start a veggie garden tomorrow”.
- How can you add fun, creativity or discovery so people remember it?
Logistics
- Who is it for, and what day and time suits them?
- How many people can the venue hold? What will you and attendees need to bring? What will it cost you?
- Pick a venue near public transport and share walking, cycling and bike parking info.
- Check if you need an Auckland Council event permit, usually for public spaces, larger groups or amplified sound. Apply early.
Bookings
Use a booking platform such as Humanitix or Eventfinda, or a free Google Form. It sends reminders, tells you who’s coming, and helps us count attendance across the festival.
Accessibility
Think about step-free access, seating, accessible toilets, clear directions and quiet space. Say what’s available when you register, so people can filter the programme.
Online events
- Keep it under 1.5 hours.
- Humanitix’s free version works with Zoom, Vimeo and other tools.
- Drop the feedback link in the chat near the end and give people a few minutes.
Health and safety
Your attendees’ safety is in your hands. If your venue has a health and safety plan, follow it.
Every event
- Give a quick safety briefing at the start: hazards, exits and the assembly point.
- Have a fully stocked first aid kit.
- Know where the nearest defibrillator (AED) is.
- Have an evacuation plan and assembly point.
- Count people in, so you don’t overcrowd and can do a headcount in an emergency.
Think about
- Emergencies: what to do in a fire, earthquake or flood.
- Weather and terrain: sturdy shoes, sun hats, raincoats, water.
- The activity: gloves and boots, safe tool use and spacing, heavy lifting, strenuous work.
- People at higher risk: older people, children and disabled people may need extra care with uneven ground, open water, steep edges or tools.
- Children: make it clear that parents and caregivers supervise their own children.
Risk register
If your venue doesn’t have a health and safety plan, list the risks for your activity and how you’ll manage them.
| Risk or hazard | Possible harm | How you’ll control it |
|---|---|---|
| Slippery track | Slips, sprains | Tell people to wear sturdy shoes; skip the steep section if wet |
In an emergency, call 111 for Police, Fire or Ambulance.
Zero waste basics
- Skip single-use: reusable cups, plates and cutlery. If you can’t, choose recyclable or compostable, and have the right bins, clearly labelled.
- Ask people to bring a reusable cup and water bottle.
- Print less: share slides and links instead of handouts.
- Food: local, seasonal and veg-forward, with options for dietary needs. Order sensible amounts and share leftovers. Catering idea: The Sustainable Food Co.
- Save energy: use daylight and switch off what you don’t need.
Zero Waste Events has practical guides. Ask your hub if any zero waste support is on offer this year.
Venue Supporters List
Contact these venues for a special EcoFest rate during the festival. You can also ask your hub for an introduction. Contacts are from last year’s list; if one bounces, ask your hub.
Auckland-wide
- Auckland Council venues Book online
Central
- Ellen Melville Centre Freyberg Place, CBD. Contact Leela Show email
- Āiotanga Community Space 22 Emily Place, CBD. Contact Leela Show email
- Myers Cottage Scotia Place, off Queen St, CBD Show email
- Central City Library 44–46 Lorne St, CBD Show email
- The Button Factory Abbey St, Newton Show email
- Parnell Community Centre 545 Parnell Rd, Parnell Show email
- Epsom Community Centre 202 Gillies Ave, Epsom Show email
- Gribblehurst Community Hub 5 Cabbage Tree Swamp Rd, Sandringham Show email
- Grey Lynn Library Hall 474 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn Show email
East
- Huia Lodge, Cornwall Park Green Lane West Show email
- Meadowbank Community Centre 29 St Johns Rd, Meadowbank Show email
- Remuera Library 429 Remuera Rd, Remuera Show email
- Tāmaki Ex-Services Association Hall 10 Turua St, St Heliers Show email
- Leicester Hall Findlay St and Ramsgate St, Ellerslie Show email
- Ōrākei Community Centre 156 Kepa Rd, Ōrākei Show email
- Tāmaki Zero Waste Hub 153 Pilkington Rd, Glen Innes
South
- Beautification Trust Creator Space 38 Holmes Rd, Manurewa Show email
- Auckland Botanic Gardens 102 Hill Rd, Manurewa Show email
West
- EcoMatters Environment Centre 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn Show email
- New Lynn Community Centre 45 Totara Ave, New Lynn Show email
- Corban Estate Arts Centre 2 Mt Lebanon Lane, Henderson Show email
- Arataki Visitor Centre 300 Scenic Dr, Titirangi Show email
North
- Kaipātiki Project EcoHub 17 Lauderdale Rd, Birkdale Show email
Waiheke
- Waiheke Sustainability Centre 1A Mako St, Oneroa Show email
Promote your event
We promote the whole festival: the online programme, a printed guide, and print, digital and radio advertising. Your own promotion is what fills your event.
Online
- List your event on your website, local noticeboards and what’s-on pages.
- Create a Facebook event. Add EcoFest, your hub and any partners as co-hosts, and tag your venue.
- Feature it in your newsletter with an image and booking link. Ask other groups, and local schools for whānau-friendly events, to include it in theirs.
- Post on social media and tag us: @ecofest.nz (Facebook), @ecofest_auckland (Instagram), #EcoFestNZ #EcoFest2027. We’re happy to share your posts.
Add this to every listing
This event is part of EcoFest, an annual month-long festival taking place 22 March – 22 April. EcoMatters, Kaipātiki Project, Beautification Trust and Waiheke Resources Trust are teaming up to showcase all that Tāmaki Makaurau has to offer in the sustainability space. Visit ecofest.org.nz and join us!
In person
- Put up posters (ask first): your venue, libraries, community centres, cafés, shops, schools and businesses your audience uses.
- Invite people personally. You’ll also learn what interests them and what might hold them back.
- Go to other EcoFest events. You’ll meet like-minded people, and maybe your next guests.
Promo assets
Ready-to-use EcoFest images, words, logos and templates.
On the day
- Arrive early to set up and check for hazards.
- Borrow a teardrop banner from your hub for a festival feel (ask well ahead).
- Welcome people and give your safety briefing.
- Count everyone who comes (see Attendance and feedback).
- Take photos, asking permission first, especially for children. Share them and tag us, or email your best shots to your hub: we love sharing them with funders.
- Show the feedback QR code before people leave.
Say a few words about EcoFest
This event is part of EcoFest, a month-long festival across Tāmaki Makaurau. Check out ecofest.org.nz for the full programme: there are heaps of events that build on what you’ll do today.
Attendance and feedback
Feedback keeps EcoFest going. It shows funders the festival’s impact and helps us improve each year.
- Count attendees. A tally sheet or clicker works. You’ll be asked for the number.
- Ask attendees for feedback before they leave. Put up a QR poster, wear a QR name tag, or have a device open at the form. Allow five minutes at the end.
- Follow up a day or two later with an email or text that includes the feedback link.
- Fill in the host feedback form soon after your event.
Everyone who gives feedback, hosts included, goes in the prize draw. Quotes and stories are welcome too: email them to your hub with your event name.
Contacts
Your support hub depends on where your event is. Not sure which? Contact any hub and they’ll point you the right way.
West & Central Auckland
EcoMatters
[email protected]
09 826 4276
North Auckland
Kaipātiki Project
[email protected]
021 036 1049
South & East Auckland
Beautification Trust
[email protected]
09 269 4080
Waiheke & Gulf Islands
Waiheke Resources Trust
[email protected]
09 372 2915
Step 3
Going further
For hosts with the time, skills or partners to go beyond the basics. None of this is required. Pick one or two ideas that suit your event.
Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Weave in te ao Māori perspectives and values, such as kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga.
- Connect early with mana whenua or your local marae, respect their time, and offer koha where appropriate.
- Use te reo Māori place names and take care with pronunciation.
- Make space for Māori knowledge and leadership in sustainability.
Widen the welcome
- Partner with groups that reach people who don’t usually come to environmental events.
- Offer free or koha entry, whānau-friendly times, translated material or sign language interpretation where you can.
- Go hybrid: stream or record your event for people who can’t attend. You’ll need a good tech setup and at least two people, one to run the online side.
Shrink your footprint
- Aim for zero waste: weigh what goes to landfill, recycling and compost, and set a target for next time.
- Measure and offset your emissions with an accredited Aotearoa tool: FutureFit, Live Lightly, Ekos, Carbon Neutral Trust or Greenlit (made for events).
- Tell your hub what you did. We’d love to share it.
Connect with other hosts
- Invite other hosts through the WhatsApp group, and stay for a cuppa afterwards.
- Team up: co-host with another group, or link events (a nature walk, then a workshop).
- Running a paid event? Offer free entry to other hosts.
Leave something lasting
- Give people a next step: a resource, a group to join, or your next event.
- Follow up with wrap-up notes, slides or links.
- Write a blog post (1500–2500 words) about your mahi for the EcoFest website. Email it to [email protected].
- Keep going year-round, and come back as an ongoing EcoFest contributor.