Elwood Function Centre hosts conferences, seminars, corporate events, trade fairs and weddings for up to 300 guests in theatre style, 295 at a cocktail function or 200 at a formal dinner. The venue is at Waipatu, on the edge of Hastings in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, and sits in about 13 hectares of grounds with views toward Te Mata Peak.
Seminars and company events
The centre is set up for business days without a long list of extras to hire. Audiovisual equipment, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, heating, tables, chairs and standard lighting come with the venue, and staff coordinate the event on the day. Conferences and seminars use the theatre layout for up to 300, while a cocktail format suits product launches, networking evenings and end-of-year functions for up to 295. The grounds also take expos, trade fairs, market days and outdoor corporate events, with marquees for larger setups. On-site parking keeps arrivals simple for delegates who drive in from across the region.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings can run from ceremony to reception on the same site. Formal dining seats 200 guests, and a standing reception reaches 295. The open grounds leave room for photographs with the hills in the background, and for a marquee when couples want part of the day outdoors. The licensed bar handles drinks service through the evening, and the coordination team helps plan the timing of the day.
Rooms and capacities
The venue publishes three capacity figures: 300 in theatre style, 295 for cocktails and 200 for formal dining. The site does not break the centre down into separately named rooms, so the layout for each event is agreed with the coordination team. Outside, about 13 hectares are available for marquees, market-style events, concerts and sporting events.
Catering
Food is prepared in the centre's commercial kitchen on site, and a fully licensed bar serves drinks. Menus and service style are set with the team for each event, from a seated dinner to a cocktail function with food passed around.
History and setting
The centre presents itself as a function and events venue for the whole of Hawke's Bay. Its location at Waipatu places it just outside Hastings and within a short drive of the main towns of the region. Te Mata Peak, the hill that rises above Havelock North, is visible from the grounds, and the open land around the building gives events space to spread out.
Getting there
The address is 15 Otene Road, Waipatu, Hastings. Hastings city center is about 5 minutes away by car, Havelock North village about 10 minutes, and both Napier city center and Hawke's Bay Airport about 15 minutes. Parking is on site, which matters in a region where most guests arrive by car, and the short airport transfer works for speakers or guests flying in for the day.
