Auckland Dating - Meeting Single Men and Women in Auckland
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and most populous city. Rated as the fourth best place to live in the world in the 2009 Mercer’s survey, Auckland has a hectic social and cultural calendar which offers its singles population ample opportunities to meet and date.
Located in the North Island of New Zealand, Auckland City and its civic authority include the Auckland isthmus as well as most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Along with a balmy coastal climate, Auckland is blessed with many natural harbors and beaches. These factors together with thriving service industries like banking and insurance as well as a lively cultural scene have made Auckland one of the most favored destinations not only in New Zealand but in the southern hemisphere. In June 2009, the total population of the city was 444,100 according to Statistics New Zealand’s Sub-national Population Estimate.
Besides being the most populous city in New Zealand, Auckland is also the biggest cosmopolitan center of the country. It is the largest Polynesian city in the world and its population is essentially a multi-cultural mix. The city is home to as many as 185 ethnic groups and around 23 percent of the population is of Asian origin, according to the Auckland City Council’s annual report summary of 2006/20071. The 2006 New Zealand Census showed 56.5 percent of Auckland Region’s population belonged to European ethnicity while those claiming origin from Pacific Islands accounted for 14.4 percent of the population. Other major ethnic groups included Maori -11.1% and Middle Easterners/Latin Americans/Africans – 1.5%.
The demographical distribution of Auckland makes it evident that immigrants makes up for a large chunk of the total population of the city. In the last few decades most of immigration has taken place from Asian countries like China and India. In fact the total immigration into New Zealand is heavily tilted in favor of Auckland. This has been brought about by a removal of restrictions directly or indirectly based on race as well as the economic growth of the city which has made it an attractive destination for an overseas population looking for better work opportunities. The Asian origin population has several opportunities to intermingle in their own community. Cultural events like the Lantern Festival among the Chinese and Diwali among the Indians are huge occasions for people of similar ethnic background to get together. Albert Park is a popular venue where the Chinese origin people come to ring in their New Year with the Lantern Festival. This event covers three whole days of colorful lanterns, stalls, traditional food and entertainment. Singles at such events can look for dating partners not only within their own community but also reach out to people from other ethnic and racial backgrounds.
As the biggest Polynesian city on the globe, Auckland is home to several ethnic groups like Maoris and other indigenous people of the Pacific. One of the biggest Polynesian festivals to be celebrated in Auckland is Pacifika. On this day, the city’s Western Springs Stadium showcases the splendid culture and rich heritage of its Pacific people in a blaze of music and color. Among other top cultural festivals of Auckland are its National Dragon Boat Festival as well as St Patrick’s Day celebrated with music and dance, pubs crawls and the famous Travelling Hooley by the city’s Irish population. All these events are popular destinations for Auckland singles to meet each other in a fun and neutral way, minus the covert pressures which mark formal dating.
The vibrant multi-cultural ethos of Auckland encourages people from various ethnic backgrounds to work and live together. This is evident in the plethora of food and wine, music, literary, theater and film festivals which dot Auckland’s cultural calendar. One of the biggest music events is held in December which covers a series of free open-air concerts on Sundays at Wintergardens and the Auckland Domain Band Rotunda. The music is a mix of classical, jazz, pop, Latin and local rock. Other than the December gig, there are music festivals specifically catering to jazz enthusiasts like the Mission Bay Jazz and Blues Festival. All these cultural events draw people of similar interests and offer ample opportunities for like-minded singles to get to know each other.
Auckland’s geographical location makes it an ideal venue for hosting many kinds of water sports. The Auckland Anniversary Weekend Regatta in January as well as the Coastal Classic Yacht Race in October brings hardcore sailing fans together. Other than these, events like the Rally of New Zealand, the Puhinui Three Day event and the NZ Polo Open are much-awaited occasions on the city’s sporting calendar and attract huge number of single men and women with shared interests and eager to mix around. Besides these nature enthusiasts generally come together for the many flower shows that Auckland is famous for. The Parnell Festival of Roses is perhaps the best known among these which offers visitors an entire weekend of music, dance, street theater, art exhibitions and a free bus-ride of the festival’s main venues.
Auckland’s social scene has something for its gay and lesbian singles as well. One of the most eagerly anticipated events in the city’s homosexual population is the Hero Festival which is celebrated in February. The event includes the Big Gay Out, the Hero Pride March and the Hero Dance Party. The occasion not only provides gays and lesbians an opportunity to meet potential partners but allows them to affirm and celebrate same-sex love.
Auckland is a city known for its varied entertainment scene. Stylish pubs, cafes and nightclubs dot the city landscape while the sandy beauty of Piha, Karekare, Bethells and Muriwai beaches make for popular hunting grounds for the singles of the city. Here men and women can meet and chat about their work and lives. The youthful character of the city is further emphasized by its vibrant student population. Auckland in fact is home to some of the largest universities of New Zealand, the University of Auckland and the AUT, of which the former alone has 38,000 students. This makes Auckland one of the biggest centers of the young population in the country and its many campuses ideal meeting grounds for potential dates.
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