‘We’re over the moon’: Northland Fritter Festival makes welcome return to Whangārei after three-year absence

Bernice Klum from Waipu gets into the groove. Photo / Tania Whyte

A popular food and music festival has made a welcome return to Whangārei after a three-year absence with what organisers described as an amazing lineup, a lovely crowd and glorious weather.

The Northland Fritter Festival, held at Semenoff Stadium on Saturday, drew more than 3500 people from all over Northland and Auckland for an afternoon of music, good vibes, craft beer, fine wine and 19 different types of fritter.

Northland Events Centre Trust general manager Carina de Graaf said organisers were “absolutely over the moon” with the turnout and the positive vibe.

“We haven’t had a fritter festival since 2019 it so was really welcomed by Northlanders. It was a lovely crowd, they were really appreciative, and we had an amazing line-up and fantastic weather.”

With several big public events across the region on Saturday — including Fritter, Mangonui’s Waterfront Festival and the Mahi Tahi teams race at Waitangi Mountain Bike Park — the weekend marked a return to summer normality in Northland after years of disruption caused by the pandemic and more recently extreme weather.

This year’s headline act was Coterie, a group of “Māori Aussies” based in Western Australia with links to Northland iwi including Te Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi.

“The crowd just loved them,” de Graaf said.

The event started as a boutique music festival in 2013. It grew into a highlight of the Whangārei music and culinary calendar until 2020, when the event had to be cancelled at the last minute. Funding from Northland Inc helped get the festival back off the ground.

The event will be back in summer 2024.

■ The Best Fritter Trophy was awarded to Palate Wholesome Collective for their hāngī fritter with the People’s Choice Award won by Hello Pickle for their potato fritter. The Best Vineyard and Brewery Trophy was won by McLeod’s Brewery of Waipū.

Patrons were delighted to have Fritter back. Photo / Tania Whyte

Dayna Attwood-Graham and Tegan Notton groove to RSB 2.0. Photo / Tania Whyte

Michelle Crawford and Lisa Davied feel the joy of the day. Photo / Tania Whyte

Old friends Steve McFarlane from Whangārei and Kirsty Bride from Perth catch up at the festival. Photo / Tania Whyte

Hanariki Ma dressed to impress as a rainbow butterfly. Photo / Tania Whyte

A proud Harlen Keepa is serenaded by his mum Lisa Gordon from Tempist Fujit. Photo / Tania Whyte

Lisa Gordon from Tempist Fujit gets the crowd rocking. Photo / Tania Whyte

Grayson Barnes rocks out on the drums for local band Otium. Photo / Tania Whyte

Eric Adams from RSB 2.0 rocks the crowd. Photo / Tania Whyte

Festivalgoers in top form. Photo / Tania Whyte

Shaded tables gave some respite from the sun. Photo / Tania Whyte

Hayley and Brocke Reti about to tuck into their potato and brisket fritters. Photo / Tania Whyte

Matt Yovich, Brendyn Whitaker, Munch Burch, Mikale Meagher and James Hargraves have a beer while photobombed by Phat House Brewing's Kat Weeks and Connor Caswell. Photo / Tania Whyte

Natalie Moon, Marcela Thompson Patrick Moon and Cam Thompson headed to Fritter to celebrate Patrick’s 40th birthday. Photo / Tania Whyte

Erin and Nathan Steel, with Alex Geaney and Sophie Wilson pose as Charlie’s Angels in the photo booth. Photo / Tania Whyte