Whakatāne's ever-popular Art in the Park event is back for another year, providing children the opportunity to create alongside local artists.

Art in the Park has been running for several years at Sullivan Lake Reserve as a free event for children near the end of the school holidays.

This year’s event is running on Wednesday, January 22, from 3pm-6pm.

It will see artists Tania Akehurst and Kerry Limmer return to the park alongside newcomer Abigail Bakker.

Akehurst is partial to using bright colours and bold patterns in her work and will help children to use them in creating fish and eels from primarily recycled materials including wood, cardboard and yarn.

“The fish will come out like they’ve got scales and the eels will look like they’ve got stripes.

“Any kids from about three years old upwards should be able to do it.”

The eels will be able to be worn by children on their hands, and the fish will be hung by a string.

This is her second year participating in the event, since Arts Whakatāne took over from Lake Sullivan Care Group in running it.

Last year she led a collage activity, which she found allowed children’s creativity to shine.

“The kids are so cool because they tell you all about why they put that there and what they think. Some kids find it difficult when they think art needs to look realistic, but actually it doesn’t have to.”

She enjoyed seeing children use colour and shapes to express themselves and have fun, regardless of the end result.

“In other subjects and sports everyone has to win, but with art it’s not about winning, it’s about making yourself happy and being able to express your thoughts.”

Limmer is also back for a second year, this time with two painting activities.

She has been given a number of ceramic plates from Crew resource centre for children to decorate however they would like with acrylic paint.

She has also sourced recycled roller blinds for Art in the Park attendees to contribute to a collaborative mural following a lake theme.

Limmer is an early childhood teacher by day and said she enjoyed seeing children engage in art.

She is keen on reusing and recycling materials where possible when she creates her own art.

Bakker is a weaver who will be leading children in making wristbands, flowers (putiputi) and other small items.

Arts Whakatāne president Sue Whale said Art in the Park was always a popular event and has grown with time to see about 300 people through last year.

In addition to the local artists, free barbecue sausages will be provided thanks to Creative Communities funding, conservation group Halo Whakatāne will have a display and activities for kids to get involved in, there will be dancing, facepainting, children’s games and shaved ice.

For the adults, the shaved ice cart also sells coffee.

Whale said Whakatāne High School’s Interact club has assisted with the event since its inception and will be back again this year.

She said the day was whanau oriented and designed for parents/caregivers to attend with their children.

While most activities would be aimed at schoolchildren, she expected younger siblings may also be able to get some fun out of it.