One Love Festival at Tauranga Domain last year. Photo / File
One Love Festival at Tauranga Domain last year. Photo / File
The annual One Love reggae music festival has sold out to crowds of 20,000 three weeks before the music starts, set to give a much-needed boost to the local economy as summer comes to an end.
The two-day festival will be at Wharepai Domain on Waitangi Day weekend, starting onFebruary 6.
The event, now in its seventh year, is organised by Pato Alvarez, of Pato Entertainment, and presented alongside Greenroom Vodka and Mai FM.
Tickets officially sold out three weeks before the event to 20,000 people for the fourth year in a row - a total of about 80,000 people in four years.
One Love is the second of the two biggest music events hosted in the city this summer, the first being Bay Dreams North on January 3.
Collectively, the events drew crowds of about 50,000 this summer, bringing spenders and providing jobs.
Alvarez said there would be between 800 to 900 staff delivering the festival which included band members, production crew, security, bar staff, food vendors, and management.
One Love Festival promoter and organiser Pato Alvarez. Photo / File
A post-evaluation report of last year's event released in June found that of the 20,797 people who attended the event, 17,996 were visitors to Tauranga who spent more than $7.2 million in the city in less than three days.
Tauranga City Council community services general manager Gareth Wallis said One Love is "especially important this summer" as the tourism and hospitality sectors face the residual challenges of the pandemic.
Events played a key role in showcasing the city locally, nationally, and internationally, he said.
"This brings positive economic benefits, including more visitor nights, increased local and regional GDP, and helps to create a vibrant and exciting city.
"This is especially important this summer, following the challenges that these sectors faced in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic."
Tauranga City Council's community services general manager Gareth Wallis. Photo / File
Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Kristin Dunn said visitor numbers to the region were down by more than 20 per cent, and events such as One Love were "crucial" to the region's tourism industry.
"There are huge flow-on effects on accommodation, hospitality, retail, and tourism activities."
In December, the Coastal Bay of Plenty had an average of 29,000 visitors per day which was down an average of 8000 visitors or 22 per cent compared to the same time last year.
Of the average daily visitors, about 22,000 were domestic visitors which was down 14 per cent on the previous year.
"We are relying on the strength of our domestic market and it is vital to our economy. As New Zealand's largest export earner, tourism is a critical component of our nation's economic rebuild."
Domestic visitors were the Coastal Bay of Plenty's most significant market and summer was the region's busiest season, she said.
The group spent $870m to the year ending January 2020 of the Coastal Bay of Plenty's total visitor spend of $1.1 billion.
"Right now, tourism needs whatever help it can get."
In the past, One Love brought 12-14 international acts to the festival, however this year, would celebrate world-renown Kiwi artists, including Fat Freddy's Drop and L.A.B.
The festival announced last week that the four international artists scheduled to perform were unable to attend due to ongoing travel restrictions and low accommodation facilities for quarantine.
Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Kristin Dunne. Photo / File
However, they were replaced by five New Zealand acts and the international artists had all confirmed they would perform at the 2022 festival.
Waste management
Wallis said the organisers had a comprehensive waste management plan which included rubbish collection and the cleaning of surrounding streets during and after each night of the event.
The event's resource consent allowed for amplified noise from 10am to 10.30pm on Saturday, and to 10pm on Sunday.
Systems were in place to monitor noise levels throughout the event and a resident hotline had been set up for any issues.
Several streets in the CBD would be closed from midnight on the Saturday of the event through to 6am, Monday, February 8. Resident access would be maintained.
Sound outside the event
• There is a consent for amplified noise from noon to 10.30pm on Saturday, and to 10pm on Sunday. • A sound check has been approved each day from 10am-11am. • Resident hotline for any issues: 027 411 6116.
Road closures
Several streets in the CBD will be closed from midnight on the Saturday of the event through to 6am, Monday, February 8. Resident access will be maintained.
• Cameron Rd from Brown St to Wharf St • Durham St from Wharf St to Harington St • Hamilton St from Willow St to the end of Hamilton St West • Harington St from Willow St to Cameron Rd • McLean St from Willow St to Cameron Rd • Monmouth St from Willow St to Cameron Rd • Park St from Willow St to Cameron Rd • Park St from Willow St to Cliff Rd • Cliff Rd from Brown St to Park St • Mission St from Chapel St to Cliff Rd
All you need to know
• Gates open at Wharepai Domain at 11am each day. • All attendees need to provide ID and will be searched on entry. Those who are intoxicated will be denied. • Once you're in, you're in. If you leave, you will not be allowed back in for the day. • Food and alcohol will be available, none can be brought in. • Payments are cashless through the Wayver wristbands and money can be topped up online ahead of time.
Acts
Day 1: FIJI, Kora, House of Shem, Stan Walker, Sons of Zion, 1814, Tomorrow People, Maisey Rika, Three Houses Down + General Fiyah, Hamo Dell, Cornerstone Roots, Rubi Du.
Day 2: Fat Freddy's Drop, L.A.B, Dave Dobbyn, Katchafire, Sammy J, The Black Seeds, Ardijah, Swiss, Lomez Brown, Tree, Chad Chambers, Victor J Sefo, Maimoa.
