Beach festival a celebration of Titahi Bay

Competing events and patchy weather might have prevented a truly bumper crowd, but the organisers of Titahi Bay’s third beach festival were pleased with the response to the day.

Last year’s event won the Porirua Rising Star prize at the 2017 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards, raising the stakes for this year’s festival.

‘‘With the region having multiple events and random weather about 3400 people attended, less than hoped, but those who did were very positive,’’ organising committee co-chair Dave Brett said of the festival on Saturday, February 17.

Highlights were the taiaha demonstration, mellow reggae from Lei and the Bay-ites, and Fraser MacKenzie’s solo folk-rock jamming.

The beach end of Richard St was closed to accommodate a range of stalls.

Kids were occupied with plant-potting, games such as ring toss, volley ball and tug-ofwar competitions. Brett said next year police suggested a police versus firefighters tug-ofwar.

While the sea swell stopped the muchanticipated waka arriving from Porirua Harbour into Titahi Bay, Titahi Bay Surf Club impressed spectators with a display of their rescue skills; Mountains to Sea again provided free snorkelling, and Titahi Bay’s volunteer firefighters showed off their fire engine.

Brett was proud of the way Titahi Bay and visitors came together to create an event to celebrate the beach, and people’s talents.

‘‘Many of us are already talking about how to make the 2019 festival even better,’’ he said.

See titahibaybeachfestival.com