More than 6000 people packed the Waitangi sports fields on Saturday for the first — and almost certainly not the last — Reggae by the River festival in Northland, headlined by UK reggae legends UB40 with support acts 1814, Maxi Priest and the Marley NZ Allstars. Photos by Peter de Graaf.
![Whangaroa reggae band 1814 opened the show. Photo / Peter de Graaf](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/U7DBZYKXHZFXT6XSNCLDPBRG3Y.jpg?auth=3b9a8c6607481ede68dba3dcc79358442c6737d518a231ca565da0cc2c5cbb05&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
![Dressed in reggae colours are Whangarei's Kiri Brown, left, and Helen Fuataha of Auckland. Photo / Peter de Graaf](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/K23FMWM7Y27JK37NAQPRFWQVBU.jpg?auth=e8213275c2445d62dba51a653c5f73651a09194f2de3df9e705226d547724a2d&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
![Tinopai's Monique Fisher, of Whangarei business The Happy Puku, serves up a mussel fritter. Photo / Peter de Graaf](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/FA6HLFQGYSCELYGR3ZBXCOW55E.jpg?auth=4a9b8a1b9f10afe42b0b6c671bcaba0f051a80f78494baa3b4b33879c2f6b320&width=16&height=26&quality=70&smart=true)
![Reggae fans, from left, Tupu Hakaraia, Jack Mountain and Zacque Price. Photo / Peter de Graaf](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/2SJ4CXXA47D3P2ZNYNRFAW2TOM.jpg?auth=e82e1314a0d1041af429f2bddc86cd9792c57679a9406708bf40ff2b4158b99d&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)