Oparau Acoustic Festival

Oparau is a quiet rural locality tucked under the seaward side of Mount Pirongia just 20 minutes inland from the West Coast settlement of Kawhia.

At one time it was a bustling community with its own dairy company, school, and general store, but the tides of economic fortune have reduced its population to a handful of permanent residents and a collection of holiday homes.

One aspect of its former glories is the old Oparau Hall, complete with roll of honour dating back to the Boer War. The hall is the classic early 20th century planked timber structure with the more recently built Oparau Club attached.

The hall has been the focal point for the Oparau Acoustic Festival since its inception in 2005 and the scene to many great performances and night-long jam sessions.

The Oparau Acoustic Festival has consistently brought high quality acoustic music to the quiet Oparau district!

Past performers include........ Goulash Archipelago, Ashley Knox, Operatic Chanteuse extraordinaire Julia Booth, The everlasting "Windy City Strugglers" The Dirty dirty folk of "Forbidden Joe", The mesmerizing "Copper Kin" The ever wacky "Big Muffin Serious Band". The powerful guitar and voice of "Mahinarangi Tocker" , Exquisitely blended flute, pipes and guitar of "Neumegen and Sanders". Rope tricks, whip crackin and country singin by Relda Marie, The Psychadelic pop of "Dak Jandals", The kick ass bluegrass of "Wires and Wood", The mind blowing flamenco groove of "Aguamenco", The south of the border twang of "Too far Gone" (formerly MMP), the indescribeable grooves of "*Lott's* Slippery Noodle Trio", "The Mingoloids" 7 piece jazz band performing Charles Mingus Compositions, "Reintarnayshun", The acoustic pop of "Hand me downs", "BB and Alex" banjo-leciousness, Kevin Hannah on the ragtime piano... Plus all the surprise appearances @ the Blackboard concert open mic!