Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today
Updated

One Love music festival cancels 2026 show due to tough economic climate

NZ Herald
25 Nov, 2025 06:55 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Tauranga’s One Love music festival has decided to cancel its 2026 edition, pointing towards what it calls “several challenging situations”. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga’s One Love music festival has decided to cancel its 2026 edition, pointing towards what it calls “several challenging situations”. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga’s One Love music festival has decided to cancel its 2026 edition, pointing towards what it calls “several challenging situations”.

The reggae festival is held annually in the Bay of Plenty and attracts tens of thousands of visitors.

In a Facebook post, organisers confirmed they had been reviewing several challenging circumstances “including the realities of the current economic climate”.

“With the cost of living crisis ongoing and more than 80% of our audience travelling for two days, we know the strain this puts on household budgets,” the post said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Because of these factors, along with unforeseen developments behind the scenes, our team has had to make the heartbreaking decision to place the One Love festival on hold for 2026.

“This has been a difficult process for us because we want nothing more than to deliver One Love at the standard our community deserves. Sadly, that simply isn’t possible for 2026.”

Organisers planned to hold a scaled-back version of the festival, however decided against it because it “wouldn’t be true to what One Love represents”.

“The festival has always been about the experience ... and a watered-down version wouldn’t honour that legacy.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
The 2024 One Love music festival at the Tauranga Domain with Julian Marley playing on the main stage. Photo / Maryana Garcia
The 2024 One Love music festival at the Tauranga Domain with Julian Marley playing on the main stage. Photo / Maryana Garcia

The organisers also addressed “recent conversations” involving former owner Pato Alvarez.

In 2023, he was found guilty of the indecent assault and attempted unlawful sexual connection of a woman hired as a babysitter.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention on November 10, 2023, and finished serving that sentence late last year.

One Love organisers said Alvarez sold the music festival in 2022.

“As part of the sale, Pato had a number of obligations to complete under the contracted handover process. These were fully met and finalised.

“We want to reassure you all he is not involved with One Love festival in any capacity.”

The organisers added they were navigating “important structural changes behind the scenes, including upcoming shifts in ownership and directorship”.

“While these transitions are significant, they’re all focused on restoring the festival’s legacy,” the post read.

“As we take this pause, please know that we are continuing to work diligently on what comes next.”

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Disabled traveller left 'black and blue' after being told to slide down Air NZ plane stairs

25 Nov 02:00 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

On The Up: Hawke’s Bay security guard shortage eased by MSD training initiative

25 Nov 12:54 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke’s Bay salon Mèche wins two national awards

24 Nov 08:13 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Disabled traveller left 'black and blue' after being told to slide down Air NZ plane stairs
Hawkes Bay Today

Disabled traveller left 'black and blue' after being told to slide down Air NZ plane stairs

Rachel Adams received an apology and 200 Airpoints Dollars, but says it isn't enough.

25 Nov 02:00 AM
On The Up: Hawke’s Bay security guard shortage eased by MSD training initiative
Hawkes Bay Today

On The Up: Hawke’s Bay security guard shortage eased by MSD training initiative

25 Nov 12:54 AM
Hawke’s Bay salon Mèche wins two national awards
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke’s Bay salon Mèche wins two national awards

24 Nov 08:13 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP