Ex-pat's emotional response to Poi E

Charles Hazlewood left and Greg Hurrell were delighted to hear a live performance of Poi E at Pae Pae in the Park on Waitangi Day.

A Wellington man who stopped in Patea briefly on Waitangi Day on his way south couldn't believe his ears.

He'd walked across the road to Pae Pae in the Park just as the Patea Maori Club launched into their signature song Poi E.

Greg Hurrell who lives and works in Saudi Arabia for most of the year said hearing the song was the highlight of his month-long trip home to New Zealand.

"It was magnificent hearing the club sing Poi E.

"I felt quite emotional . I never ever thought I would hear it sung live."

He and friend Charles Hazlewood had been in Stratford for a few days at a home brew conference and had planned to stop in Patea on the way home to look in on the festival.

They were glad they did.

Families from throughout Taranaki and as far away as Wellington and Whangarei had gathered for the 14th year of the Waitangi Day celebration Pae Pae in the Park which featured live music and a variety of incredible food.

The Patea Maori Club and other groups, including New Plymouth's rock group Quadraphonia and a 10-member reggae group, Selah Saints from Patea kept the crowd happy and the children dancing.

The Aotea Utanganui museum and the Patea Library were both open with people streaming through all day.

More than 30 stalls kept the masses fed with delicious fare from traditional Indian food to Austrian speck (pork) pancakes to churros, nachos as well as the much loved hot dog on a stick with lashings of hot chips.

On the dessert front were fresh half watermelons or pineapples with large blobs of icecream on top - they had sold out by early afternoon.

It was a relaxed and happy atmosphere and, as one of the organisers Gloria Tui said, it is Patea's favourite day of the year.