Crowds lining up to enter the One Love Festival. Photo / Supplied
Crowds lining up to enter the One Love Festival. Photo / Supplied
Green, red and yellow banners hang above the crowds at the annual One Love Festival as roots music fills the air.
The sun is shining, the market and food stalls are set and ready to go, and people are grooving into what is set to be a hot long weekendfilled with good vibes and vibrations.
The event, now in its seventh year, is organised by Pato Alvarez, of Pato Entertainment, and presented alongside Greenroom Vodka and Mai FM.
The two-day One Love Festival at the Wharepai Domain has opened its gates this morning to a sellout crowd of 20,000, the same day as reggae legend Bob Marley's birthday.
Crowd from the One Love Festival at Tauranga Domain last year. Photo / File
It officially sold out three weeks ago for the fourth year in a row, with a further 8500 on the waitlist.
Over the years about 1500 people from overseas attended each gig, and 12 to 14 international acts played.
However, due to Covid, the line-up is proudly Kiwi talent.
The set-list for the One Love Festival.
For fans overseas, still unable to have music events to this scale, both days will be available worldwide through live-stream, for about 90 per cent of the acts.
L.A.B will not be live-streamed when they take the stage tomorrow at 8.55pm due to contractural reasons.
Staff with sanitiser backpacks are roaming the festival, with reminders for people to sanitise and log in on the app.
It's going to be a hot one, with the forecast today showing fine weather with a high of 25C and low of 14C. Tomorrow will also be fine with light winds and sea breezes, a high of 23C and low of 16C.
Today, crowds will be grooving from the time Cornerstone Roots takes the stage at 12pm right through to this evening with Kora, who begins at 9.20pm.
Fat Freddy's Drop will make their One Love debut as headliners tomorrow.
The seven-piece act are internationally regarded as among the world's finest live drawcards, with several critically acclaimed albums to their name.
Livestream set times:
Saturday
12.00pm - Cornerstone Roots 12.50pm - Maisey Rika 1.50pm - Three Houses Down & General Fiyah 2.35pm - Tree 2.55pm - Fiji 3.40pm - Rubi Du 4.05pm - House Of Shem 5.10pm - Hamo Dell 5.50pm - Stan Walker 7.00pm - 1814 8.10pm - Tomorrow People 9.20pm - Kora
Sunday
12.00pm - Lomez Brown 12.40pm - Ardijah 1.45pm - The Black Seeds 2.30pm - Chad Chambers 2.50pm - Katchafire 3.35pm - Victor J Sefo 3.55pm - Dave Dobbyn 4.35pm - Swiss 4.55pm - Sammy J 5.40pm - Maimoa 6.00pm - Sons Of Zion 7.15pm - Fat Freddy's Drop
There will be closures on several streets in the CBD from 12am on the Saturday of the event through to 6am on Monday, February 8.
This will be to help with the set-up and take-down of the event and pedestrian safety. Resident access will be allowed throughout the event.
Closures include:
• Cameron Rd from Brown St to Wharf St • Durham St from Wharf St to Harington St • Hamilton St from Willow Street 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
What not to bring
Aerosol products, air horns, alcohol, recording devices, bicycles, skates, scooters, skateboards, chilli bins, drones, drugs, fireworks, food, gang patches or regalia, weapons, glass or metal water containers, instruments, pets, tents, umbrellas or gazebos.
