Live music, street kai and community vibes will take over The Strand this Saturday at the Ātea Block Party, with tickets still available for the fundraising event.

Running from 3pm to 10pm at the Ātea Arts Hub, the family friendly block party will raise funds for facility upgrades and accessibility improvements at Ātea – Whakatāne’s indigenous-led creative hub.

Headlining the event is Corrella, the seven-piece roots reggae powerhouse whose record-breaking hit Blue Eyed Māori held the number one spot on the New Zealand charts for more than 50 weeks.

Ātea’s Toi Iti, one of the event organisers, said the line-up remained largely the same as previously announced, with one addition, rapper Melodownz.

“The line-up is stacked.”

Corrella and Melodownz will be joined by Black Comet, the galactic funk collective led by Whakatāne’s own Laughton Kora (Kora, L.A.B, Fly My Pretties), who returns home with his four-piece band.

Also taking the stage is award-winning Māori neo-soul artist MOHI, known for his smooth fusion of te reo Māori, R&B, and contemporary soul.

The afternoon kicks off with Bay of Plenty acts Ladz of the Mist, DJ Arok and Big Music.

Iti said the build-up to the event had been marked by strong community support.

“The support has been incredible. We have had loads of volunteers come down and help. There has been a great sense of community.

“Local business has stepped in and is sponsoring different parts of the set-up. And it looks like the weather will be good.”

However, he said ticket sales had been slower than hoped, reflecting the financial pressures many families are facing.

“It is a real indication of how tough things are out there for people.

“We have people say ‘yeah, we have got tickets and our cousins really want to come but don’t have the finances’.

“Festivals around the country are really struggling,” Iti said.

“We had to look hard as to whether we continued ... we certainly didn’t want to have the trust lose money from this process because this is a fundraiser. But at the same time, we really need these kinds of events in Whakatāne.”

Organisers are hoping for a late surge in ticket sales, with gate sales also available on the day.

“From the moment it kicks off, it’s act after act,” Iti said.

“People are going to have a really good time.”

Hosting a concert of this scale in the centre of town has brought its own challenges, but Iti said activating the outdoor space around Ātea was a key goal.

“No one has thrown a concert of this size in the middle of Whakatāne before.

“This is about showing what’s possible when we come together as a community and bring these kinds of cultural events to town.”

The event is hosted by Ātea with the support of Whakatāne District Council, Te Ahi Tahutahu Charitable Trust, Tāme Iti Limited, Mata Brewery, and in partnership with Loop.

The Ātea Block Party

• When: Saturday, December 20 – Ātea, 266 The Strand
• Featuring: Corrella, Black Comet, Mohi & more
• Tickets: General Admission $75 + booking fees
• VIP: $180 + booking fees — includes front-of-stage access and an exclusive VIP area with dedicated food, bar, and toilet facilities

      Children 12 and under: Free entry

• Tickets available now at: www.atea.art and gate sales
• Licensed Event: Under-18s must be accompanied by a guardian. All regulations applying to supervised licensed premises will be enforced.