A not-for-profit music festival about mental health, finding hope and choosing life.

The River Sounds Festival is a community-focused music festival dedicated to mental health awareness, with 100% of profits being donated to Music Helps and Te Whare Mahana Trust. Our inaugural event raised over $23K for mental health charities in New Zealand. The location is a stunning Avocado orchard in Katikati, Bay of Plenty (30 minute drive from Tauranga), set next to a beautiful river available for swimming during the day. 

The lineup boasts an impressive array of NZ artists including Finn Andrews (the Veils), Flamingo Pier, Milly Tabak & the Miltones, Daily J, Molly & The Chromatics, Daffodils, Holly Afoa, Renee Coffey, Sophie Gibson and 90 days. 

The theme for the festival is ‘beneath the surface’ encouraging festival goers to share more than just the version of themselves they usually present to the world. The festival will be curated to encourage people to share their own experiences with mental illness, all while listening to amazing music and forming lasting connections.