Festival Fun returns to the Mangōnui Waterfront

Thousands are expected to gather along the Doubtless Bay waterfront this Saturday, 28 March as the Mangōnui Waterfront Festival returns for 2026, bringing a full day of family-friendly entertainment to the Far North.

Supported by the Te Hiku Community Board, the festival marks a welcome return of one of the region’s signature community events, delivering a vibrant and welcoming experience for locals and visitors alike. The festival will see local businesses, artists, musicians and food vendors come together to showcase the best of Northland’s coastal culture. Entry is $10 for adults, $5 for children, with free entry for children under five.

To support the event and ensure public safety, Waterfront Drive will be closed from 9am to 7.30pm on Saturday, 28 March. The closure will run from Tasman Street through to the wharf at Beach Road, with alternative access arrangements in place for regular traffic during this time.

Parking will be available at Mangōnui School, the Karamea Road/Melody Lane paddock, and the Coopers Beach Hub (near the Four Square and butchery). Free shuttle services will run throughout the day on a continuous loop from these locations to the Mangōnui waterfront.

Additional return bus services will operate from across the wider area.

• A Kaitāia service will depart from the old Pak’nSave carpark behind Kaitāia Town Square at 10.30am, returning at 6.30pm.
• A Karikari Peninsula service will depart from 1 Maitai Bay Road (old school entrance) in Whatuwhiwhi at 11.15am, also returning at 6.30pm.

A continuous round-trip shuttle will also run between Taipa and Mangōnui, with the first departure from Taipa at 12pm and the final return service leaving Mangōnui at 6pm.

The council’s District Wide Spatial Strategy team will also be at the event, providing an opportunity for residents to have their say on the district-wide spatial plan, which will guide how the Far North grows and develops over the coming decades.

The Mangōnui Waterfront Festival runs from 12pm to 6pm, with further details available via the Mangōnui Waterfront Festival Facebook page.

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Poster details below of parking and shuttles provided by the Mangōnui Waterfront Festival organising committee: