Avo festival fun
The Black Seeds bloom at Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival
The sun was shining, the wine was flowing and calming sounds of The Black Seeds resonated throughout Uretara Domain on Saturday.
The annual Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival was held with another fun time had by thousands who descended upon Katikati.
Organisers said it was “happy vibes all around”, and as always, a relaxed, family focused event.
Live music on the day included Jacob Scott followed by Tauranga covers band Midnight Fizz and the main act was Kiwi-famous reggae band The Black Seeds.
The Black Seeds are an eight-piece reggae-inspired band. Formed in 1998, the band celebrated their 25th anniversary last year with a national tour.
Popular songs include Cool Me Down, So True but One By One was an international hit for the band when it was played in TV series Breaking Bad.
Facebook feedback from the festival included comments on the flawless event for its music factor, the food and wine on offer and the general organisation of the event.
More than 3500 people attended, making it one of the bigger events they have had. The vast majority of people had purchased their tickets in advance with about 290 people rocking up for gate sales.
The Kitchen Tent held cooking demonstrations — featuring avocado-inspired dishes — by Falls Retreat head chef Brad King.
Forty-six vendors also had a big day showcasing their food and wine, some even sold out.
Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival’s Kirst O’Rouke says they are “so grateful to all of you who came out in droves, to dance barefoot in the grass on the hottest day of the summer”.
“A big thank you to everyone who attended for looking after their family and mates, always having a smile on their faces and supporting our awesome little town of Katikati.”
They couldn’t do it without their volunteers, vendors, suppliers, sponsors, audio engineers, staging and entertainment crews, she says.