Third time lucky: Record crowd as Waterfront Festival returns to Mangōnui

Waterfront Drive was packed with people and stalls. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Mangōnui was packed with happy people during the return of the town’s popular Waterfront Festival on Saturday — but none were happier than the organisers, who had been trying since 2021 to celebrate the event’s 10th anniversary but had been thwarted each time by the Covid pandemic.

In a case of ‘third time lucky’, the festival finally went ahead, with close to 100 stalls, three stages and a record crowd of more than 7000 visitors. Even the fickle summer co-operated by putting on a day of blazing sunshine.

Stewart Russell, of Doubtless Bay Promotions, said the turnout was the biggest they’d ever had — the event usually attracted about 5000 people — which he put down to Northlanders “hanging out” to return to the festival after years of Covid cancellations.

All stalls were from the Far North, because one of the aims of the festival was to give local businesses a last boost before winter. That had been a great success, with many stallholders selling out despite bringing in extra supplies in anticipation of a bumper crowd.

Seven-year-old Rehutai Slade, of Mangōnui, gets some ribbon tips from Kata the Klown of Kaitāia in a kids’ zone run by circus school Circability. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Nine-year-old Jessica Neho, of Mangōnui School, and her mum Gabrielle Neho make sure festival-goers’ rubbish and recycling is properly sorted. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Six-year-old Ari Smith of Taipā is transformed by a face painter. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Doubtless Bay friends get their photo taken as part of a Coast FM promotion. (From left): Dallas Frear, 15, Maylin Lark, 16, Mena Nikora, 17, Alexia Tiatoa, 17, and Devyn Urlich, 15. Photo / Peter de Graaf

One day a year, pedestrians rule in Mangōnui as traffic is expelled from Waterfront Drive. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Stalls crowd Mangōnui’s waterfront during the festival’s 10th anniversary. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Tiri Murphy, of Kaingaroa business Tirimatu’s Kākahu, displays a kākahu (garment) woven for her daughter. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Be Free band No Vacancy performs on the youth stage. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Izzy Cannon, 14, drumming with the Kerikeri-based youth band Microresistance. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Jackson Taylor of Kaitāia band JTB on stage with his two-year-old son, also named Jackson. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kaitāia band Norizin pays tribute to the late Bob Marley. Photo / Peter de Graaf

German sausage-seller Frank Frischauf of Mangōnui takes time out from his stall to dance with Susan Ghanbari. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Juanita Bassett performs with cover band Kurfew, the festival’s main act. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kerikeri’s Paul Lafotanoa keeps the beat for headline act Kurfew. Photo / Peter de Graaf