Tauranga's AIDS Candlelight Memorial ceremony, planned for this Sunday evening, has been cancelled due to lack of interest in the event.

"The cancellation is due to a paucity of personnel to assist with the arrangements, and to numbers attending - apart from the organisers - declining to almost negligible," the event's organisers, the Bay Area AIDS Support Service, said today.

"We realise that this late cancellation decision is disappointing for the few who do attend and for whom it is an important time of remembrance of their loved one, and also for those responsible for the publication of the event. BAASS would like to extend our good wishes to other participants at Ceremonies on the 18 May."

Meanwhile, Candlelight Memorial services in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill are still set to take place this Sunday evening as planned.