Laura's screening with Laura Weaser

Sundaise, set on Dickey's Flat, is a festival of arts, craft, music, culture and arts.

Away from the world, the beautiful festival describes itself as a 'collection of like-minded souls gathering for two days of fun”.

Costumes were an essential part of the entertainment and entertainers. Photos by Rhea Favero.

Although I was only lucky enough to experience one day, one day was a great opportunity to take in the natural world, learn a craft or two and experience the talents of Tauranga samba.

Transforming Dickey's Flat into a festival haven, Sundaise was a world to explore.

Through the trees, a group was huddled to learn how to make mozzarella cheese using an open fire.

It was very clever and interesting to learn a process which is actually quite simple.

Cheesmaking in the bush – a new experience.

Further into the woods – the Enchanted Forest – Tauranga Samba held an interactive workshop, teaching simple rhythms, making a lot of constructive noise and having a whole lot of fun along the way.

What's cool about Sundaise is the main theme of sustainability.

This means everything is done to minimise carbon footprints and preserve the environment, as well as teach festival goers techniques to reduce their own carbon footprint at home.

Tauranga Samba gave am impressive night show, followed by a workshop on Sunday to learn the techniques.

One of the more interesting concepts was the compost toilet system.

Instead of long drops, the toilets featured buckets of compost which you sat over.

While this sounds in no way glamorous, it is an ingenious idea as the toilets didn't smell like long-drops always do and it was a clever sustainable feature that I have not seen at any other festival I have attended.

Workshops also included importance of composting, worm farming, recycling, and seed saving.

What was also cool about Sundaise was the relaxed, chilled out vibe and the energy.

A main tent set up like a communal lunge, decorated with vines and records, made everyone feel welcome to join in.

At night, the festivities came out to play.

The river became a communal place to swim, despite the rain clouds, and everyone had a smile on their face as they explored the natural walks around Dickey's Flat.

Not only that, it was a great festival for the whole family, with a dedicated Kids Space for games, storytelling and puppet shows.

It was fun, friendly, and a great way to spend a weekend in nature.