The sun was shining, the kids were playing and just as everyone thought they might melt into the ground, Tāme Iti brought out the hose.

Ātea Block Party was everything you could have wanted from a December afternoon.

The inaugural Block Party was held at Ātea, Whakatāne’s new indigenous-led creative hub, on Saturday afternoon with an impressive crowd in attendance.

The festival-style event boasted a musical lineup that kept attendees grooving from 3pm until after dark, with headliners Corrella capping off the night.

DJs and live acts provided variety in the setlist, with DJ Big Music kicking off the night, then maintaining the vibe between acts.

Rūātoki boys The Lads of the Mist brought their Tūhoe pride to the stage and Whakatāne DJ Kharmi followed with good tunes.

Award-winning artist Mohi blended neo-soul and pop for an engaging performance, with touching shoutouts to his nan and whānau in the audience. He dedicated a rendition of Wonder of You to his grandfather.

Avondale rapper Melodownz drew a crowd and DJ Moaho – Iti’s grandson – played some crowd favourites.

Galactic-funk band Black Comet, fronted by Whakatāne’s own Laughton Kora, were a standout. They were a hard act to follow, but DJ-AROK (Brad Kora) made a pretty good go of it – maybe it’s in the genes.

It was almost impossible to avoid joining the crowd as DJ-AROK pumped out hit after hit, with a personal favourite being his mix of Olivia Dean’s Man I Need.

Special guest Te Wehi was a hit with the audience.

Corrella kicked off their summer season on the Whakatāne stage before a packed tour including the Rhythm and Vines, Rhythm and Alps, Electric Avenue and Homegrown festivals.

Whakatāne brewery Mata provided the drinks while food trucks ensured everyone’s stomachs stayed full.

Children had a blast colouring in, blowing bubbles and hula hooping – if they weren’t on the fringes of the audience having a boogie of their own.

Ātea Block Party was a fantastic afternoon for people of all ages, but next year it’s worth remembering that it’s still December, and you might want something warm to throw on once the sun goes down.