Juicy Fest Tauranga: Hip-hop and R&B fans pack Baypark to see favourite artists

Fans at Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024 at Mercury Baypark in Mount Maunganui.

Hip-hop and R&B fans packed out Mercury Baypark for Juicy Fest Tauranga on Sunday as they went to see their favourite artists and remember the music of their “high school years”.

Billed as the biggest hip-hop and R&B music festival in the Southern Hemisphere, its performing artists this year included two-time Grammy-nominated American singer, songwriter and actress Keri Hilson, T.I., T Pain, Mario, Trey Songz, Bizzy Bone, Ashanti, Fabolous, Mase and YG.

The 2024 festival series began in Christchurch on Wednesday, with Tauranga the last of four New Zealand stops before the event heads to Australia.

It comes after three police officers were assaulted and 12 people were arrested after “several disorder events” during the Juicy Fest Auckland concert on Saturday.

And after the Wellington event on Friday, one attendee said it was overrun by Mongrel Mob gang members in the festival’s VVIP (Very, Very Important Person) section.

Ten thousand people were expected to attend the Tauranga festival after last year’s event was cancelled due to bad weather.

Ticket holders came from all over New Zealand, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

People ‘happy and vibing’ at festival

The Bay of Plenty Times spoke to several festivalgoers, many of whom donned sunglasses and hats amid blue skies and sunshine.

Raymond Turner and Kairo Kokiri at Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024. Photo / Megan Wilson

Kairo Kokiri, 32, said he travelled from Waikato and was most looking forward to seeing T-Pain.

He said the festival was “absolutely awesome” and people were “happy and vibing”.

Kokiri said it was “pretty hot” but planned to keep cool with the outdoor cooling mist system and shade under the gazebos, which he said would help everyone “survive” the heat.

He said he also planned to spend “quality” time with family while staying in Tauranga.

Jen Westrupp and Susanna Roberts at Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024. Photo / Megan Wilson

Jen Westrupp, from the Coromandel, said she and Susanna Roberts had tickets to Juicy Fest Tauranga last year and went to the Auckland festival due to the Tauranga cancellation.

“We’ve done all the Friday Jams and all of that,” Westrupp said.

Westrupp said her favourite artists were Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Mase - “pretty much my high school years”.

Roberts, from Waihau Bay on the East Coast, said she was looking forward to seeing Mario and T-Pain.

Eden George and Samm Waaka at Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024. Photo / Megan Wilson

Samm Waaka, from Rotorua, said she came to Juicy Fest and was staying with her friend Eden George in Tauranga.

Waaka, 37, said she was most looking forward to seeing Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

George, 25, said she had tickets to Juicy Fest last year and was “gutted” about the cancellation, so was pleased about the finer weather this year.

Ducati Hindmarsh and Angel Rivers, from Whakatāne, at Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024. Photo / Megan Wilson

Ducati Hindmarsh and Angel Rivers, from Whakatāne, said they were R&B fans and were looking forward to seeing T-Pain and Keri Hilson.

Keri Hilson opens Juicy Fest

Hilson was the opening artist and opened with her song Pretty Girl Rock.

Hilson told the crowd it was her first time in Tauranga and she wanted to see how “lit” Tauranga was.

“We came all the way from Atlanta, Georgia to see you lose control.”

Keri Hilson opening Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024. Photo / Megan Wilson

She then sang Lose Control and thanked everyone for their energy.

A police spokeswoman said police had not attended any incidents at Juicy Fest Tauranga as of 4pm on Sunday.

Prior to the event, Juicy Fest promoter Glenn Meikle told the Bay of Plenty Times the artists collectively had close to 100 million followers from around the world on Instagram, which presented an “amazing opportunity” for Tauranga’s tourism.

“The artists and crew are looking forward to showcasing what Tauranga crowds can bring and more so we are excited to showcase the city and the beautiful Bay of Plenty to the world.”

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.