Omokoroa residents Carol Murphy and Peter Archer opened their backyard once again to hundreds of blues fans for the annual Marchwood Blues Picnic at the weekend.

Nigel Masters and Marchwood Blues Picnic host Peter Archer jamming on stage. Photos by: Thickskins.

About 500 punters laid their picnic blankets down on Carol and Peter's backyard in Youngson Road on Saturday for an afternoon of entertainment from a line-up of blues musicians.

Now in its sixth year, Marchwood Blues Picnic invites punters to bring a picnic hamper and enjoy both local and international blues music on their avocado orchard in the hills of Omokoroa.

Host Peter Archer says the day went 'fabulously” with morning rain clearing up for the afternoon event.

'I had so many young people, who were here and had never been before, thank me for such a wonderful day out.

'In fact I had a young guy say he's been to the big day out – and this concert and that concert – and he said this was the best thing he had ever been to. So that was cool.”

Hand-picking the bands himself, Peter says there is no headline act – all bands are 'fabulous”.

Jan Preston with Nigel Masters, Marion Arts perform on stage while punters dance on the grassy dance floor.

'I choose the bands and they are always going to be fabulous. People say to me ‘who's your headline act?' and my reply to that is well they are all good.

'For me personally I thought the Dave Maybee Band was fantastic and comments from a few of the punters were that they thought the Dave Maybee Band was fantastic too.

But Jan Preston and the Flaming Mudcats, they were great too. I actually got up and had a jam with most of them. It was just a wonderful afternoon.”

Dogged appreciative audience.

Here's what a happy punter had to say about the event:

The hills are alive with the sound of blues.

A friendly and relaxed atmosphere, happy crowd and a great line up of bands made the Marchwood Blues Picnic a huge success.

The vibes were all good on Saturday afternoon and into the evening, the Marchwood event reverberated with excellent music around the foothills of Omokoroa as Peter Archer and Carol Murphy's property hosted another groovy little music festival.

Described by one of the band's frontman as 'a mini Woodstock”, hundreds of people enjoyed blues, rock and the relaxed surroundings amongst the orchard and shady shelters.

The morning rain cleared in time for the start, the day turning into the perfect summer evening with a light westerly breeze to cool the crowd.

The grassy dance floor held up well under the pounding of happy revellers dancing the night away to local bands, plus Jan Preston, the Flaming Mudcats and Blues Buffet.

The masses on the natural amphitheatre embankment all enjoyed fantastic sound and a great view, enjoying great facilities.

The organisers have paid impressive attention to recycling bins, plenty of clean toilets and helpful security staff.

Tauranga is so lucky having an event and venue like this on their backdoor step, it would be great to see more people enjoying it.

- Thickskins, review from a happy drummer.

Flaming Mudcats.