Raggamuffin Roadtrip Draws 6,000

The inaugural Raggamuffin Roadtrip, a Pacific artists-themed offshoot of the successful Raggamuffin Festival in New Zealand, attracted 6,000 fans over five stops.

It featured Fiji, J Boog, Peetah Morgan, Hot Rain and Spawnbreezie with local acts added along the way.

The beginning of the tour, May 31, was held alongside the Pacific Music Awards at Auckland’s TelstraClear Pacific Event Centre.

Raggamuffin festival director Jackie Saunders told the NZ Herald the Roadtrip broke even with strong turnouts throughout and sellouts in Christchurch and Hastings.

But the final date, on June 4 in Rotorua, drew less than half of the expected 1,500 to the Energy Events Centre, most likely because it was the end of a long holiday weekend.

The Raggamuffin festival takes place over two days in Rotorua, pumping an estimated $10 million into its economy.