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.
