Friday will deliver an action-packed day of entertainment by local schools, kohanga reo and early childhood centres with a free concert featuring Troy Kingi, Ruia Aprehama, Fat 32 and Ngati Hine's Te Huaki Punaki planned for the evening.
Saturday brings entertainment from senior kapa haka roopu, bands, hip-hop groups, whakapapa sessions and more.
The stage is the main place to be but several other activities including an art exhibition, a wearable arts parade, food stalls and more activities will complete the festival experience.
Mr Tipene said this year's festival theme "He Kumara, He Tangata", which literally means "everyone is sweet like the kumara", is derived from the Ngati Hine ancestress Hineamaru who settled in Waiomio and grew the famous tukau variety of kumara - the sweetest of them all.
The whakatauki, or proverb, retells the story of Ngati Hine while highlighting how everyone is precious with their own unique character, attributes, skills, experiences, knowledge and circumstances.
The festival, which usually attracts thousands, will be held at Otiria Marae in Moerewa. It will start at 9am on Friday and 10am on Saturday.
Visit facebook.com/TeAhuareka for more information.
