Raggamuffin still rocks | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Reggae fans remain loyal to Rotorua's annual Raggamuffin festival with 20,000 enjoying the fifth, extended instalment.

Ticket sales were slow leading up to the event, to which organisers added a Friday night show this year, but a last-minute rush ensured good crowds at Rotorua International Stadium.

This year's festival featured Ali Campbell, J-Boog, Sly and Robbie, Arrested Development, Billy Ocean, Spawnbreezie and Big Mountain. New Zealand artists Kora and Three Houses Down also performed on the main stage. A second stage featured Kiwi artists NRG Rising, Foundation, Soljah, Tomorrow People, Cornerstone Roots, House of Shem and international artist NKulee Dube.

The two stages gave Raggamuffin-goers more choice and fine weather helped create a good atmosphere in the crowd.

Raggamuffin spokeswoman Sandra Roberts said 20,000 people attended the event on Saturday and 4500 turned out to the "pre-party" on Friday night.

Raggamuffin promoter Andrew McManus of McManus Entertainment said the festival was a success story for summer outdoor concerts in New Zealand, which had suffered from poor ticket sales recently. The turnout for Raggamuffin proved reggae fans were committed to the festival.

Mr McManus said this year's event delivered good acts and was the best run and best set up of the Raggamuffin events with which he had been involved over the past five years.

Before the festival started, performers were being welcomed to Rotorua. On Friday night, performers Big Mountain and Billy Ocean and their crews were welcomed with a powhiri at the Novotel with a small gathering of fans also attending to get a glimpse of the reggae stars. After being welcomed by local cultural performers, they responded with a rendition of Bob Marley's No Woman, No Cry.

Legend Billy Ocean said he was overwhelmed by the welcome. "It was very touching. I thought I was going to burst out in tears," Ocean said.

Rotorua police were happy with the behaviour of people at Raggamuffin with the large majority of the crowd at both nights' events abiding by the conditions of entry and taking on board safety advice for the weekend.

Rotorua Police Area Tactical Response Manager, Inspector Ed Van Den Broek, said three people were arrested at Friday night's event for drugs, intoxication and resisting arrest. Six people were arrested at the stadium on Saturday night for intoxication, disorderly behaviour and assaulting police.

"Given the number of extra people in town this weekend for Raggamuffin - and the numbers at the event itself - this is a pretty good result," Mr Van Den Broek said.