An epic experience to be had at annual Havelock Mussel & Seafood Festival

Back better than ever before, the yearly Havelock Mussel & Seafood Festival is a highlight on the event calendar for many local businesses and attendees.

Hosted on the townships Domain, with Havelock’s stunning waterfront setting, the not-forprofit festival has been running since 2004 and is a key part of the regions summer. Festival organisers are excited to launch the 2023 Festival this weekend, on March 11th, and Event Coordinator Kara Fielding says she looks forward to showcasing the region’s local delicacies to festival goers at the event.

“Enthusiasm for this year’s festival is at an all-time high. All the seafood producers in the region love getting behind this event and showing off their fresh produce and all proceeds go back into the local community.”

Providing a remarkable line-up, and bringing back all the favourites, the programme includes another Guinness World Record attempt at mussel opening, the ever-informative MFA Industry Tent, the family friendly NIWA KidsZone, the NZ King Salmon Culinary Tent, and an array of live musical acts who will be entertaining the masses throughout the day.

Among them are Kiwi legends, the Jordan Luck Band, rootsrockers Lost Tribe Aotearoa, country singer Jody Direen, and duo Genre Fluid.

Gates open at 10am on Satur- day, and things kick off on the Gascoigne Wicks Main Stage with MC Georgia and Mayor Taylor opening the day’s events.

QCC Kapa Haka perform at 11am followed by chart-topper Jody Direen at 11:30am, and live looping duo Genre Fluid at 1pm.

High energy and hard hitting, The Lost Tribe Aotearoa will release their eclectic mix of roots, dub, rock, ska and blues at 2:30pm before true blue Kiwi icons The Jordan Luck Band get the crowd rocking at

4:30pm. In the Culinary Tent this year, the newly instated, ‘master-chef style’ Te Pūkenga NMIT Festival Chef Cooking Competition begins with competitors of the under 18 section cooking up a storm at 10:30am, before the over 18’s show their