NZ’s Raggamuffin’s Farewell Still Seeking Home

The final edition of New Zealand’s reggae and R&B Raggamuffin festival is still looking for a home, promoter Andrew McManus reveals.  

– Raggamuffin X NZ

It was slated to stage Feb. 18 at the Trusts Arena in Auckland, its home since 2014. But it was postponed a week out following slowing ticket sales and a closure of the railway line to the venue on the day due to repair work.

Raggamuffin X was pushed back to the southern spring, with the same headliners, Shaggy, Six60 and The Wailers.

McManus’ original intention was to return to Rotorua where it had started in 2008.

At its peak, Raggamuffin was drawing crowds of up to 40,000. But audiences had steadily declined, which McManus blamed on waning interest from local council.

But Rotorua Lakes Council immediately rejected the idea, saying it was already “fully committed” to other events, according to Stuff.co.nz.

A number of regional locations have been approached. McManus revealed March 21 that one is Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth, home of WOMAD NZ.

He told Stuff the plan is to hold it Oct. 28, around Halloween weekend, to have an “RIP of Raggamuffin” styled party.

New Plymouth District Council’s venues manager Nelita Byrne told Stuff, “We are always happy to talk to promoters about possible events for our region” and added discussions would be on venue availability, the regional events calendar, travel and freight logistics, production and set-up requirements.