A major new two-day music and culture festival is coming to Tauranga Moana, with some of the biggest names in Aotearoa and Pacific music answering the call for Kingston Calling at Bay Oval beneath Mauao in February 2027.
Kingston Calling, presented by Fabrik and Mai FM, will take over Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval on 19 and 20 February, bringing together 14 acts across two days in what organisers are billing as a new destination festival for Aotearoa.
The inaugural lineup combines international reggae, soul and hip-hop heavyweights Maoli, SOJA, Rebel Souljahz and Arrested Development with homegrown stars including SIX60, Stan Walker, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Katchafire and Aaradhna.
A festival built around gathering
Fabrik founder and festival director Toby Burrows of Ngāti Hauā says Kingston Calling draws its name and inspiration from the traditional idea of people responding to a call to gather.
That kaupapa sits behind a festival designed to bring Aotearoa, Pacific and international artists together in one place.
The location adds another dimension.
Bay Oval sits beneath Mauao, providing a distinctly Tauranga Moana setting for thousands of fans expected to descend on the city for the summer festival.
SIX60 returns to the Mount
Saturday night will be headlined by SIX60, with frontman Matiu Walters of Ngāpuhi describing the opportunity to return to the Mount as a particularly special one for the band.
SIX60 has built its reputation around enormous live shows and mass audience singalongs, and Kingston Calling provides the group with another major outdoor stage.
Walters says the combination of Mauao, Bay Oval and thousands of fans creates a unique wairua, with the band eager to take its live performance to another level.
They will be joined on Saturday by Fat Freddy’s Drop, Rebel Souljahz, Te Wehi, Aaradhna, Marley NZ All Stars and Myshaan.
Stan Walker leads huge opening-day bill
Friday’s programme carries plenty of firepower of its own.
International act Maoli will join Tauranga Moana favourite Stan Walker, American reggae band SOJA, Grammy-winning hip-hop group Arrested Development, Aotearoa reggae institution Katchafire, along with Hori Shaw and A.R.T.
The combination places reggae, R&B, soul, hip-hop and contemporary Aotearoa music at the centre of the festival.
It also provides a major platform for Māori and Pacific artists alongside established international performers.
Government backing targets tourism boost
Kingston Calling is being supported through the New Zealand Government’s one-off Events Attraction Package.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston expects the festival to draw visitors into Tauranga from across the country, providing an economic boost for accommodation, hospitality and tourism operators.
A two-day destination festival during the summer season has the potential to generate spending well beyond the venue itself, particularly if visitors stay additional nights and explore the wider Bay of Plenty.
For Tauranga Moana, that means music becomes part of the region’s wider visitor economy.
Manaakitanga at the heart of festival safety
Organisers are also putting safety and manaakitanga into the design of the event.
Initiatives will include Ask for Angela / Andrew alongside the Kingston Calling Safe Space Policy, aimed at providing festival-goers with avenues to seek help if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Burrows says the intention is to create an environment where manaakitanga extends across the entire festival experience.
That means the kaupapa is not simply about assembling a major lineup, but creating a place where people can gather, celebrate and enjoy themselves safely.
Two days, 14 acts and one big summer weekend
The full programme will see Maoli, Stan Walker, SOJA, Arrested Development, Katchafire, Hori Shaw and A.R.T. perform on Friday 19 February.
On Saturday 20 February, SIX60, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Rebel Souljahz, Te Wehi, Aaradhna, Marley NZ All Stars and Myshaan take over Bay Oval.
Presale tickets open Wednesday 9 September, followed by general sales on Thursday 10 September.
With a lineup stretching across Māori, Pacific and international music, Kingston Calling is setting its sights well beyond being another stop on the summer festival calendar.
Fourteen artists, two days, thousands of fans and Mauao standing over it all — Kingston Calling is preparing to make some serious noise in Tauranga Moana next February.
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