That Weekend festival is set to rock the South Waikato from January 29 to 30. Photo / Supplied
That Weekend festival is set to rock the South Waikato from January 29 to 30. Photo / Supplied
The festive season may be over, but the festival season is just about to kick off in Waikato with a long list of events set to take place for the remaining summer holidays.
There are music events set to take place in Whangamata, Karapiro, South Waikato, Thames and at Mystery Creek.
First up is a new reggae festival called Sundown, on Joe's Farm in Whangamata on January 2. The line-up includes The Black Seeds, Kora, 1814, Mai FM DJs and Ruby Du.
The Reggae-Saturday is followed by the inaugural Dance Farm Festival on January 8, also to be held at Joe's Farm in Whangamata. Dance Farm will be headlined by international superstar and Supalonely singer Benee. She is set to rock the Coromandel together with Mitch James, SACHI, Ladyhawke, Niko Walters, LA Women, Georgia Lines and AACACIA.
The middle of the month has a very busy weekend planned with two festivals running at the two opposite ends of the region. Kickdown Festival in Whangamata, running from January 20 until 23 is the North Island's first and only motorcycle festival, dedicated to all American, British and European machines.
In the style of the legendary Beach Hop - but just for bikes - Kickdown will feature a motorcycle stampede, downtown bike show and concert at Joe's Farm with the likes of SHIHAD, Devilskin, Hello Sailor and more. Additionally, there will be a $1 million prize draw and a joint "Ride the Loop" around the world-famous Coromandel Peninsula coastal roads.
Benee will be headlining the inaugural Dance Farm Festival at Joe's Farm in Whangamata. Photo / Supplied
At the same time, from January 20 until 23, the Soundsplash festival, usually held in Raglan, will be heading inland and take place at Mystery Creek due to Covid restriction uncertainties.
Soundsplash 2022 will see a mixture of multi-genre international and local acts perform on four stages. The line-up includes Netsky, Sachi, Kora, Muroki and Lou'ana.
January ends as busy as it started. Christian youth classic Festival One, running from January 28 until 31 is moving to a new location this year and is set to take place at Hartford, Karapiro, for the first time.
The line-up will include Smokefree Rockquest winners Albert Street, Auckland alternative metal band Enoch, surf rock singer Bluey Green and NZ Music Awards winner Derek Lind.
Mitch James will be joining Benee at the Dance Farm Festival. Photo / Supplied
Close by, at Okoroire Hot Spring Hotel, outside of Tirau, That Weekend festival will be kicking off from January 29 to 30. Organised by Nextgen Touring co-founders Kurt Barker and James Bristow, That Weekend hosts a line-up of local acts including The Black Seeds, Pixie Lane, Leisure and Summer Thieves, and its first international act: Belgium artist Netsky.
Different to most classic camping festivals, attendees will have access to all hotel facilities, including hot showers, restaurant, pub, tennis courts as well as the famous natural hot spring and a 9-hole golf course.
At the end of February, Beach Hop organiser Noddy Watts is inviting to the Hootnanny Country Rock Festival in Thames. From February 25 until 27, he is bringing American Country flair to the Coromandel with a car show, truck parade, carnival rides, motorcycle and barrel racing, monster trucks and of course lots of country music.
The line-up for Hootnanny includes Kiwi country veterans Eddie Low, Dennis Marsh, Brendan Dugan, Gray Bartlett as well as popular performers such as Jody Direen, Cam Scott, Jenny Mitchell and Dust and Gold.
Whangamata Beach Hop legend Noddy Watts has two festivals for the Coromandel in store this summer. Photo / Alison Smith
• For more information on the Sundown Festival click here.
• For more information on the Dance Farm festival click here.
• For information on the Kickdown Festival click here.
• For information on the Soundsplash festival click here.
