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Bay Oval is the place to be next Waitangi weekend as the Mount Maunganui venue hosts Kingston Calling 2026 – with headline act UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.

Kingston Calling 2026 is a new summer festival tour set to take place at eight outdoor venues in New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa in January and February next year.

Three venues will host the music festival on Waitangi’s long weekend – Whangārei’s Semenoff Stadium on February 5, Napier’s Tremain Field on February 6 and Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval on February 7.

Kingston Calling 2026’s other tour dates are Teufaiva Sports Stadium in Tonga on January 28, Apia Park in Samoa on January 31, Wellington’s Waitangi Park on February 12, Pukekohe’s Navigation Homes Stadium on February 13 and New Plymouth’s Bowl of Brooklands on February 14.

Tauranga-based Toby Burrows, who is director of Fabrik NZ and Trademark Live, said his team had been working on hosting a music event at Bay Oval for six years.

“We’ve been talking to Kelvin [Jones, Bay Oval manager] working out how we could make it happen. Now we’ve got it!”

The Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Photosport

Burrows said Bay Oval was an iconic venue and he wanted the event “to be something special”.

It had to be a summertime show but also something that fitted in with Bay Oval’s cricket schedule.

“It’s a major part of the Mount with a beautiful backdrop and an international cricket ground that’s hosted big events. It’s our home city.

“It’s where we’re based – so we thought it would be incredible to put an international artist like UB40 with Ali Campbell at such an iconic venue on a long weekend in summer.”

Bay Oval general manager Kelvin Jones said the facility had not hosted a music event before.

“This is very much a first for us – and something we’ve been strategising that we’d like to add to the oval’s repertoire for many years, so it’s great that we’ve worked with Toby and his team to make it a reality.”

Jones said Bay Oval’s biggest event so far was this year’s Anzac Day Chiefs game, which “a tick over 12,000” people attended.

Bay Oval general manager Kelvin Jones and Tauranga-based Toby Burrows, who is director of Fabrik NZ and Trademark Live can’t wait for ‘Kingston Calling 2026’ at Bay Oval on February 7. Photo / Brydie Thompson

“We’re unashamedly a cricket ground first and foremost … but we’re funded by the community and it’s a multimillion-dollar facility so the more things we can do to get the community to value and use it, the better.”

Jones said Bay Oval was run by its own trust “so making it pay and covering our costs [for core cricket offerings] is always a key factor too. Being as diverse as we can helps that”.

With Kingston Calling 2026 within the cricket season, Jones said the event would be a learning curve:

“We don’t know what we don’t know but we haven’t done it lightly. We’ve done our research and these [swapping activities at a venue] happen the world over – the key for us is the cricket pitch is protected.”

Jones said Bay Oval wants to be a viable venue option for non-cricket events but won’t be hosting many due to the nature of the venue.

Kingston Calling 2026’s headline act is UB40 featuring Ali Campbell. Photo / Supplied

“So we’re focusing on quality rather than quantity.”

Burrows said Kingston Calling 2026 would not just be a concert but a music festival.

“We have support acts which we’ll announce soon – it will be a full afternoon and evening of music.”

Burrows said while it’s always a big deal when international artists come to New Zealand, when they perform in regional cities it’s massive – “that’s what my team specialise in”.

“UB40 has sold 70 million records worldwide – so they’re right up there [in terms of status].

“Often these types of artists only play indoors in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. So to bring them to an outdoor setting, in summertime, on the grass on a long weekend – it’s the perfect recipe.

“It will be the biggest summer music event in our region for sure.”

Formed in 1979, UB40 became one of the UK’s most successful and influential reggae groups. Since departing the original line-up in 2008, Ali Campbell has led his own world-touring ensemble.

Burrows said UB40 featuring Ali Campbell would play all their big hits, taking people who love their sound and vibe on the ultimate journey.

As a result, he expected Kingston Calling 2026 tour dates to sell out, and advised those interested to secure tickets quickly.

“We also hope to announce another extremely exciting concert for this summer at Bay Oval very soon,” Burrows said.

Tickets are on sale at: