Sign In / Register
Everything you need to know and more
Many locals remember when the Kōwhai Festival in Warkworth was the event of the year.
Undoubtedly it peaked in 2019 when the festival celebrated its Golden 50th birthday, but during the covid years it was put on hold.
Last year, the festival made a welcome return but it was scaled back – now the organisers are looking to gradually return the festival to its former glory, starting on October 19 with the Huge Day Out.
Fittingly the theme in 2023 was ‘Welcome Back’ – you just had to show up really.
But this year, the festival committee is giving people the chance to literally dress up for the occasion with a slightly more aspirational theme, ‘Vintage Fashion – Throughout the Decades’.
“Everyone can pick their own decade and dress up as they like. We thought it might be easier to leave it very broad and make it easier for people to engage,” says Kōwhai Festival committee chair, Melanie Marnet, who took over the position from Murray Chapman several months ago.
“It’s going to be much bigger this year with the much-loved Kōwhai market returning to Queen Street due to popular demand. People said they really missed the market.”
Among the many stalls there will be everything from locally made products and organic produce to new, used and retro clothing, not to mention arts and crafts.
There will be one-time-only specials for bargain hunters, and maybe even a few surprises.
“I know that The Photo Store will have a stall in front of the shop, but they were a bit secretive about what they’re doing – I think it will be something cool,” Marnet says.
The Warkworth Community Shop will also be embracing the event with a shopfront stall selling a handpicked selection of secondhand goods.
And that’s just the market. There will also be a fleet of food trucks (see panel below).
Over at the bar
The bar is being run by Bohemian Cider, who will be selling beer and cider. Matakana Wine Growers will be selling locally made wine.
For the kids
There’s plenty to keep the young ones entertained with a range of amusements including a climbing wall, merry-go-round, gun range, laughing clowns and lawn games.
There’s also the colouring competition, which will be judged on the day. Two winners will be announced – one senior and one junior.
“We approached all the local schools and gave them the chance to enter. They really engaged with the theme, vintage fashion. It’s cool seeing what the kids came up with.
“All the finalists are on display in the window of the old Pets North,” Marnet says.
Live music
Down by the wharf a stage will be set up with live music running from 10am to 8pm (see panel below).
Buses
There will be two shuttle buses running throughout the day from Mahurangi College to the festival with parking available at the college, as well as the usual Route 999 link bus, which departs every 30 minutes.
Marnet says with so much variety at this year’s Kōwhai Festival people can expect a great day of entertainment for the whole family. A huge day even. See you there!
Melanie Marnet says the Kowhai Festival on Saturday, October 19 is a huge day out, but stresses there are several more parts to the event:
The Great Debate
This kicked off the festival at the Warkworth Town Hall on October 12.
Combined church service
The day after the Huge Day Out, on Sunday, October 20, there’s a combined church service from 10am at the Mahurangi College Auditorium with all denominations welcome.
Warkworth Wharf Market Day
The Warkworth Wharf Market Day rounds out Kōwhai and takes place the following Saturday, October 26, from 9am to 1pm with car boot sales and stalls.
Kōwhai Festival chair Chapman steps down, Marnet steps up
After some 14 years as Kōwhai Festival committee chair, Murray Chapman vacated the role around a year ago – but not for the first time.
“I actually stepped down after the 50th celebration festival in 2019 but then covid hit and the next two chairs didn’t manage to put a festival on because of that,” Chapman says.
“Subsequently both resigned so I came back for the festival last year just so we had something. Most of our committee had also resigned so it was a really inexperienced group – then and now. They are doing a great job with limited knowledge.”
Chapman is still involved with the festival but now as a mentor for the new chair, as well as the new committee, as he “can’t seem to get away”.
His successor Melanie Marnet has a steady hand on the tiller and brings some much-needed experience to the position, having been on the committee since 2018.
“Last year I was mainly just looking after all the social media. As the new chair I’m now doing a bit of everything,” Marnet says.
