The Drum Festival

The Drum (and dance) Festival is a weekend festival of rhythm and dance, entertainment and education based on the Banks Peninsula.

Being the only dedicated festival of the drum in New Zealand, it is a catalyst for the gathering of drum performers from throughout the South Island and beyond. Workshops on African. We are planning a programme that involves over 50 performers/tutors with you as a participant. It’s a family-orientated event.

The festival is held in the relaxed space of Manaia Native Habitat, beside the safe Okuti River, where participants can also stay (Little River Campground in Okuti Valley, Banks Peninsula).

This year’s festival features Takumi, Canterbury’s very own Japanese Taiko group, the Nelson Sambassadors, Jeremy Cloake, Balinese Gamelan, Hila Koray, Dekaworwor and JoAD and of course Doug Brush. This is one stellar lineup.

BYO food + drinks as there may be no onsite catering. We hope to have food stalls, with drinks available.
Door sales are cash only.
Be sun smart – bring sunblock, bottled water and togs for a dip in the river.
Campsites for small tents are available. Vans and larger tents by request.

We are a zero-waste event, so what you bring in you take out.
If you’d like to volunteer for a free ticket, email littlerivercamp@gmail.com. See you soon.

Little River 2022 Drum Festival Line-Up

FRIDAY 18 November
7:30pm
Performance Hila Koray- a combination of African and Brazilian music with electronic sounds and looping

8:30pm
Ngoni Workshop Jeremy Cloake around the campfire. tbc

SATURDAY 19 November
9:30am
Morning Jam session

10:30am
TBC, but rest assured it will be drums and or dance.

12:00pm
Soul Star Tribe
Gypsy Caravan Style Dance performance and workshop

1:00pm
Persian percussion and dance group from the Simurgh Music School

2:00pm
African drumming and dance workshop

4:15pm
Dekaworwor and JoAD
African drum and dance performance

7:30pm
Drum Festival All Stars Jam Session

8:30pm
Performance – Otuthahi 20
a 14-piece band paying tribute to the legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti

10:00pm
Silent Disco TBC… watch this space.
Campfire chill out….(no drums)

SUNDAY 20 November
9:45am
Tasmanian Leather String Drum performance
Dan Callaghan and Doug Brush

10:15am
Doug Brush and friends
Afro-Cuban folkloric drumming

11:00am
Christchurch School of Music Samba Band plus Nelson Sambassadors

12-2pm
African drumming and dance workshop

2:15pm
Balinese Gamelan Performance

3:00pm
Takumi
Spectacular grand finale with the incredible power of Japanese Taiko drumming