Families flock to Whangārei waterfront as weekend Maritime Festival opens

Warm weather and calm seas greeted hundreds of visitors to the first day of the Whangārei Maritime Festival on Saturday.

Now in its third year, the weekend festival is run by the Black Ball Maritime Society.

With free entry, free entertainment and many activities available for koha, the event proved popular with families, including large queues for rides in the steam-powered fleet.

A wide range of boats were available for members of the public to view, from traditional waka to classic yachts.

Aboard New Zealand’s first commercially available electric speedboat, Game Changer, Naut chief executive Fiona Bycroft said the festival is a “fabulous event”.

“It’s a great community event and I love being part of it, with increasing appreciation of electric boats,” she said.

Tomorrow’s festival promises another jam-packed day including a long-distance row, the Head of the Hātea Regatta, starting at 9am.

Highlights of Sunday’s programme include a helicopter rescue demonstration on the water from 1pm, thanks to Coastguard Whangārei and Northland Rescue Helicopter (NEST).

The free talks and musical entertainment will also continue, go to whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz for full details.

Scroll through the pictures below to see more photographs from Saturday:

Image 1 of 13: In the Great Whangārei Boatyard Challenge, one of the boats made from recycled rubbish sank soon after take-off.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.