Wednesday 7
Aotearoa Experience curate a night of Kapa Haka performances, interactive workshops (e.g. Poi Making, Haka, Traditional Weaponry, Maori Visual Arts), Taonga Puoro performances, Maori Arts & Craft, Ta Moko (Traditional Tattooing), Contemporary Maori Performing Artists and more.
Thursday 8
Ivy Blue: straight out of Te Aroha, Ivy Blue is a unique talent who has graced many a stage around the Waikato.
Looking for Alaska (
from 7pm) offer up a sound rooted in country-style guitar and soaring harmonies woven together at their very fibre.
“From upbeat, toe-tapping hooks to warm, wistful harmonies, Looking For Alaska is hard to get out of your head, and for good reason.” – Natasha Thompson, The Gisborne Herald
Friday 9
Kabala are a Hamilton-based duo that perform authentic Hungarian music, influenced by their own backgrounds.
Saturday 10
10am – 4pm: During the day, Aotearoa Experience are back with a pop up village full of artists, music, performance and a range of other Māori experiences.
10.30am – 12noon and 1.30pm – 3pm: Doing Pennants: a perennial Festival favourite, come and add your pedal power or show us your sewing prowess on the the cycle powered sewing machine and help create a giant pennant installation.
11am – 4pm: Carp Diem is a street art installation by public art team Struan Ashby & Erica Duthie of Tape Art NZ. They will transform a section of the hub into a mystical fish-pond waterscape. Using recycled PVC and tape drawn directly onto the pavement, oversized fantastical fish will lead pedestrians to wend their way through the lily pads in search of surprises lurking half hidden amidst the rippled water.
Sunday 11
10.30am – 12noon and 1.30pm – 3pm: Doing Pennants: a perennial Festival favourite, come and add your pedal power or show us your sewing prowess on the the cycle powered sewing machine and help create a giant pennant installation.
11am – 4pm: Grooves in the Garden brings together some of the city’s top DJs and a range of record sellers for a combined market day and dance party. Bring your cash and pick up a vinyl treasure!
5.30pm – 7.30pm: The Mira Lacey Ensemble present their sophisticated styles for a Sunday jazz treat. The Mira Lacey Ensemble features the exquisite alto voice of Mira Lacey, backed by some fine jazz musicians, and who play some of the best music of the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, including songs recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Julie London, Blossom Dearie, June Christy, Astrud Gilberto and many other fine jazz vocalists. Songs by contemporary artists Norah Jones and Melody Gardot are also included in Mira’s repertoire.
Wednesday 14
Out of the Blues are NZ’s leading proponents of Nu-Blues, a 21st century style, reworked style of blues. Four highly accomplished musicians from around the globe perform re-engineered classics for the modern audiences, while paying full respect to the rich traditions of the genre.
Thursday 15
Rhodeworks are an award winning bluegrass folk band that play fast paced, high energy folk music, presenting a set of traditional and well loved bluegrass alongside their original material.
Friday 16
4.30pm, 6pm and 7.15pm: Circus, Sea Shanties and Shenanigans with
The Drunken Sailors; hopefully no men overboard as they set sail for a raucous and wild trip.
5.30pm – 7.30pm: Some like-minded souls got together in 2016 with a passion for classic funk, soul and hip-hop. What came from that was Funk Therapy; some of the funkiest music you’ll hear on your block.
Saturday 17
10.30am – 12noon and 1.30pm – 3pm: Doing Pennants: a perennial Festival favourite, come and add your pedal power or show us your sewing prowess on the the cycle powered sewing machine and help create a giant pennant installation.
12noon and 2pm: Fish by Chloe Loftus Dance is a beautiful, shimmering roving dance piece.
12noon, 1.30pm, 3pm: Circus, Sea Shanties and Shenanigans with The Drunken Sailors; hopefully no men overboard as they set sail for a raucous and wild trip.
3pm: Ukulele Jam: Dust off your uke, bring it along and join in with the uke jam! Music provided, you just need to bring yourself and your instrument.
4.30pm: Nick’s Britches: a 12 piece women’s acapella group singing their own arrangements of pop songs you’ll know well. All day: Roving performers from the Free Lunch Street Theatre Company
5.30pm – 7.30pm: Mufasa Mufasa are rapidly building a following as one of the Waikato’s premiere party bands with their fresh takes on the classics.
Sunday 18
3pm: The multi-award winning
Waikato Rivertones are sure to delight with their exquisite harmonies.
10.30am – 12noon and 1.30pm – 3pm: Doing Pennants: a perennial Festival favourite, come and add your pedal power or show us your sewing prowess on the the cycle powered sewing machine and help create a giant pennant installation.
12noon, 1.30pm, 3pm: Circus, Sea Shanties and Shenanigans with The Drunken Sailors; hopefully no men overboard as they set sail for a raucous and wild trip.
12noon and 2pm: Fish by Chloe Loftus Dance is a beautiful, shimmering roving dance piece.
All day: Roving performers from the Free Lunch Street Theatre Company
5.30pm – 7.30pm: The Mike Garner Duo. Mike Garner is one of NZ’s most respected blues musicians; for this night he’ll present a special duo performance.
