Anzac Bay: Summer kicks off with festival

The Summer Kick-off Festival backdrop at Anzac Bay. Photos / Jana Marston

Waihī Beach, Bowentown and Anzac Bay welcomed about 1000 people to their sunny bay on Saturday.

The event was the Anzac Bay | Waipaopao Summer Kick-Off Festival — a festival to welcome in the change in season and to celebrate the area.

The free event was an opportunity for the community to come together before the busy summer season kicks off, a Waihī Beach Events and Promotions spokesperson says, and it was a “magical’' day.

Reon Tuanau of Te Whānau a Tauwhao of Otawhiwhi opened the festival with a pōwhiri and talk. Reon spoke of the significance of Anzac Bay | Waipaopao and encouraged the crowd to be carers of the land. He also shared the stories of Waipaopao and this year’s festival focus — a healthy environment, a healthy people.

The Harmonic Resonators.

The Waihī Beach School kapa haka group entertained their home crowd before the live music line-up begun with The Harmonic Resonators. The band featured Māori and party classics with harmonies, yodels and jams. Te Puke-based funk and soul band Stylus then took to the stage and Matty and the Buxtones (led by Matty Buxton and Regan Perry) closed out the festival.

There was also plenty of kids’ activities such as face painting, balloon folding, hair wrapping, a colouring in creative corner, nature hunt, traditional weaving workshop and food trucks.