Waitangi Day in Rotorua at Ohinemutu Village was an oasis of fun and frivolity.

The day was one of uniform amity, food kiosks of food representing many nations; from the height of a drone, a kaleidoscope of colour; Lake Rotorua glistening like corrugated tinsel on the southern Lake Rotorua shores.

Goodwill everywhere as nations merged, teased out by a March of Nations before an estimated 5000 mobile crowd, judging by the comings and goings throughout the day from 10am to 3pm.

The Tūnohopū Marae Trust reached out for visitors, the visitors in turn reached for them.

Rotorua throbbed as if a Turkish bazaar or a South American festival amid thermal vibrancy.

Organisers were overwhelmed, not merely whelmed.

The day was paraded as ‘Waitangi – For the Love of the People' – and the people maintained the allusion.

The March of Nations. Image: Phil Campbell.

And music in the air – everywhere. Singing from a faux Soundshell, found at the last minute, to a tent on the concourse outside Tametekapua meeting house. The stages were set.

The old village, usually associated with St Faith's church and tangi for Te Arawa elite, was resplendent. Not so much a marae today but a vibrant, small town.

Around 40 vendors came to town, too, one from as far away as Matamata. The crowd milled from the 10am opening swelling throughout the day to an estimated 6000 attendances.

Rather than removal of barriers, one wall was erected – a picture of Ngati Whakuae elder Hamuera Mitchell was being painted by Taumata Solomon.

Taumata Solomon depicts local kaumatua Hamuera Mitchell Image: Phil Campbell.

It was two stages as live entertainment and activities at Rotorua's official Waitangi Day event entertained continuously.

Solemnity, though, preceded the day as days of agreement were acknowledged.

Some 180 years ago the Tiriti o Waitangi was signed.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick agreed the occasion has been a convergence of cultures and nations.

'Since 2015, we always said when we were Whakarewarewa we need it for the entire community,” Steve says.

'It shows with the number of people here we want to come out and celebrate.”

It was not only a national day, but a multi-national day, 'and that's what's so great here”.

Steve says the crowd was bigger than expected.

'I was here at 9am when the stall holders were setting up and were getting ready for the formal welcome – but this is huge,” she says.

'It affirms that we need to celebrate together. And it is a national day, a national day of pride.

'Everybody's saying to me, ‘We want more'.”