it! Festival in the Bay of Islands turns on the good times for all

The ‘it!’ Bay of Islands Festival is the perfect pre-summer family celebration, writes Sarah Daniell

The kids are in the moshpit, swaying sligtly in the sun, mesmerised by Tiki Taane up on stage, doing his dazzling one-man band routine: singing, strumming, looping, and charming the crowd.

There’s a group of women wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the message: “Keep Calm – It’s a Hens’ Party”. The chief hen joins Taane on stage before presenting him with a pink T-shirt souvenir, which he puts on and poses for the camera.

We are in Paihia, for the Bay of Islands’ “it!” festival, sitting under an umbrella, watching the kids watch Taane, the headline act.

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