Popular 80s cover band to headline Paihia's It! festival

Justin Maclaren of covers band Automatic 80s, which will headline tomorrow's It! Bay of Islands Food and Wine Festival in Paihia. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A Paihia festival is celebrating its 10th birthday on Saturday with a line-up of top bands and a wide range of Northland food and wine.

This year's main acts at the It! Bay of Islands Food and Wine Festival are Automatic 80s — a 1980s covers band which proved a crowd-pleaser at last year's festival — along with Boh Runga, White Chapel Jak, Double Shot and others.

The festival was first held on Paihia's Village Green in 2010, with Dragon as the main drawcard, to lure visitors to the town outside the summer season.

Initially held during Labour weekend it has since been pushed back to early October as the Bay's peak season has expanded.

A nostalgic crowd dances to 1980s covers band Automatic 80s at last year's festival. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Another change this year is a shift away from the big-name bands that have previously headlined the festival in a bid to make tickets more affordable.

Instead the emphasis is on bands which might not be household names but know how to put on a party.

One thing that hasn't changed is that the Village Green will be lined with stalls offering a wide range of mostly locally produced food, wine, cider and craft beers. Seafood is a festival speciality with fresh oysters and whitebait fritters among the treats on offer.

The more competitive festival-goers — or those who just want a free lunch — will be able to compete in kina-sucking, oyster-shucking and pie-eating races.

Justin Maclaren of covers band Automatic 80s, which will headline tomorrow's It! Bay of Islands Food and Wine Festival in Paihia. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kids are welcome at the family-friendly event which has a dedicated children's area and entertainment.

Gates open at 11am; the last band finishes at 6pm. A bus will collect Kerikeri revellers from Cobham Rd at 10.30am and leave Paihia's Maritime Building at 6.15pm for the return trip. Bus tickets cost $10 and can be booked by calling 0800 653 339.

Festival tickets are available from www.paihianz.co.nz, eventfinda.co.nz or at the gate.