Raggamuffin Shifts from Rotorua to Auckland

The country’s largest reggae festival Raggamuffin will pack up and move North from Rotorua to Auckland this year.

The eighth annual event, which will also be downsized from two days to one, will be held on Saturday 13 December at a yet to be revealed location. Now co-presented by local hip label Dawn Raid, it will feature two stages, including one tailored to reggae artists and the other - urban and hip hop.

Promoter Andrew McManus explained the move on the festival's Facebook page “Rotorua has been a great home for Raggamuffin but in order to ensure the future of the festival, it was time for us to make a move. We do want to say a big thanks to those of you that have supported us over the years and we hope you will continue to do so at our new location.”

News of the changes also come alongside the first line-up announcement which includes UK reggae-pop legends UB40, featuring three original members: Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue, N.W.A member-turned actor Ice Cube, Jamaican reggae artist Chronixx, the man boasted as a pioneer of the Pacific Island Sound - Fiji, reggae vocalist Etana, and locals P-Money, Katchafire, Aaradhna, House of Shem, Sammy J, Brownhill and Tomorrow People.

The second-line up is set to be announced in August with more details on the venue.