There are some places that quietly weave themselves into your life, until one day you realise they’ve shaped years of memories. For us, that place is Splore.
Set on the coastline of Tapapakanga Regional Park, Splore was never just a festival. It was colour everywhere you looked. Creativity without rules. People showing up exactly as they were, or exactly as they dreamed of being for a weekend.
Year after year, Splore felt like home for BODYFX. From the moment the gates opened, it was twelve hours a day of non-stop making. Kids lined up for face painting, bodies transformed into living artworks, Good Glitter absolutely everywhere, booby covers carefully placed on boobies, and body art installations coming to life around us. We painted performers across the festival and watched looks evolve as the day turned into night.
It wasn’t always glamorous. There were years of setting up and packing down in pouring rain, boots thick with mud, hands stained with paint, completely exhausted. But those were the moments that stuck. Having your family, your whānau, beside you through the chaos made the hard parts lighter. Somewhere between shared umbrellas and late-night laughs, coworkers became family and challenges turned into stories we still tell.
Splore days were full in the best way. Eating incredible food, darting off for quick swims in the ocean, squeezing in one more face before sunset. And when night fell, the pace shifted. Dancing until your legs gave out at the Lucky Star stage. Losing ourselves to Dizzee Rascal, boogying hard to The Correspondents, then floating in the ocean while Fat Freddy’s Drop drifted across the water. Chaotic, joyful, exhausting, and completely unforgettable.
This year feels a little strange for us. For the first time in a long time, we won’t be there. Knowing this is the final Splore and that we won’t be part of it in person feels bittersweet. It’s odd not packing the van, setting up, or painting our way through the weekend. But more than anything, it’s a moment of gratitude. For everything Splore gave us, and for all the times we were lucky enough to be part of it.
Splore gave us space to do what we love, surrounded by people who celebrated it. It reminded us that creativity doesn’t need permission, that mess is part of the magic, and that the best memories are often made somewhere between paint-stained hands, salty skin, and music carrying through the night.
As Splore takes its final bow, we’re holding onto the colour, the laughter, the friendships, and the feeling of being part of something truly special. This is our thank you to the artists, the performers, the organisers, and the community that made it what it was.
Once more, for Splore.
Forever part of our story 🌈✨
