Events canned by weather
Laneway Festival, Western Springs
Organisers said that they had worked around the clock to salvage the site, but the damage and disruption meant it was no longer safe to proceed.
A few festival fans had tweeted images of the Western Springs venue under water.
The event had been on an almost three-year hiatus while Covid restrictions were in place, and tickets sold out in just 90 minutes. The headliners included Haim, Phoebe Bridgers, Fred Again and Joji.
Fat Boy Slim, Napier
Fat Boy Slim’s tour organisers Endeavour Live announced yesterday morning their Saturday night Tremain Park concert in Napier was cancelled. Ticket holders would get a full refund from MoshTix.
Elton John, Mt Smart
Elton John posted on Instagram that there was no option but to cancel, after consultation with local authorities and stadium officials.
He was ‘‘desperately sorry’’ for the fans, and it was a difficult decision. Cancellation was always a last resort but safety of the venue staff and fans always came first. John’s Friday night show was cancelled less than half an hour before he was set to take the stage.
One Love Festival, Tauranga
The reggae festival was due to be held yesterday and today in the Tauranga Domain, but high winds, flooding, the forecast of thunderstorms and the fact performers had been trapped in Auckland resulted in it being called off for the first time in its history.
The lineup had included UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, L. A.B., J Boog, Fiji, Sons of Zion, Kolohe Kai, Rebel Souljahz, Katchafire, and Sean Kingston.
Festival One, Karapiro
‘‘I’m crying as I write this. My heart is breaking. You all know what is happening around the upper North Island,’’ said the organisers’ Facebook post cancelling the event.
‘‘We are working on the best way to get people safely packed up, into their vehicles and on their way safely home.’’
NZ Motocross Grand Prix
The biggest dirt bike race in the Southern Hemisphere was called off yesterday afternoon. The event organisers announced in a Facebook post that due to a large amount of rain, the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix in Woodville was not going ahead this year. Host Manawatu¯ -Orion Motorcycle Club secretary Anna Cvitanovich said it was out of their control.