Northlanders love their music and their fritters – so there’ll be widespread relief when the Northland Fritter Festival returns this weekend after a three-year Covid-enforced break.

Fritter Festival features some of Northland’s finest music, food, wine and beer and is expected to attract thousands to Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei on Saturday. The gates open at noon.

The festival is headlined by Coterie, a five-piece Kiwi/Australian band spearheaded by four Māori brothers of Te Aupouri, Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Te Rangi heritage living on the coastline of West Australia. The band is rapidly building a reputation as one of the most electrifying live acts on both sides of the Tasman.

Other live music will come from Otium, Summer Thieves, Strangely Arousing, RSB 2.0, Tempist Fijut and Caged!.

Carina de Graaf, from Northland Events Centre Trust, which organises the event, said the last Fritter Fest was held in 2019 with 2020 and subsequent years canned because of of the Covid pandemic sweeping the world.

‘’We were pretty gutted at not being able to hold it these last three years, but it’s great to be back up and running Fritter Fest again. We’ve got lots of wonderful Northland food, wine and beer, with 19 different fritters to try. And we’ve some got great music and in Coterie a really, really good headlining act. And it’s the first time they’ve played in Northland so it’s something new for people,’’ de Graaf said.

‘’It’s about showcasing the best food, wine and beer in Northland – it’s about local and we’re very excited to have Fritter back on again. It’s also our last festival at the stadium for the season.’’

She said ticket sales had gone very well and a few tickets were likely to be available at the gates on the day.

For more details check out www.facebook.com/fritter.festival/

The Northern Advocate has two double passes for Fritter Festival to give away. To enter email the name of any of the acts performing at the festival on Saturday to reporters@northernadvocate.co.nz. Be sure to include your name and contact number. Winners will be drawn on Friday at 8am.