TORA BOMBORA THROUGH THE YEARS
Origins and Vision
(2018)
Tora Bombora was born from a deep love of the coast. Founder Louis Murphy-Harris grew up on the Tora Coast, where wild southerly winds, salt air and rugged shorelines shaped his connection. Raised amongst this remote landscape, Tora became more than a home. Over time, a simple idea began to take shape to share this extraordinary place with others through music, creativity and community.
Held on his family farmland, the festival is intimate by design, blending the raw beauty of the whenua with a carefully curated lineup of emerging Aotearoa talent. From its inception, Tora Bombora aimed to be more than a festival; it was an immersive, multi-day creative retreat for both artists and attendees far removed from city life.
in the city.
Tora Bombora Tahi: Humble Beginnings
(January 2019)
The inaugural Tora Bombora took place in January 2019 and quickly set itself apart from the typical festival model. Selling out its first year with around 500 attendees, the vibe was loose, welcoming, and distinctly DIY. Word spread quickly, and Tora Bombora began to carve out a reputation as a hidden gem on the summer festival circuit. Founder Louis will always claim Tora Bombora Tahi as a ‘well organised BBQ’.
Tora Bombora Rua
(2020)
In its second and third years, Tora Bombora grew steadily but carefully. Numbers were capped to maintain the intimate feel (around 700–800 attendees) while production quality and creative ambition increased. Artists, production crews, and attendees alike praised the event’s sense of magic, openness, and escapism. TB Rua was the first year we moved to our second festival site which was the home of the festival for years two through to five. It was a special time.
Highlights include
• Lord Echo
• H4LF CĀST’s set through
blood, sweat, tears, wind and raw joy
• Same Name Confusion’s iconic set of 2020.
Tora Bombora Toru & Whā: The COVID-19 Years
(2021–2022)
While many festivals across Aotearoa were forced to cancel or postpone due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions, Tora Bombora managed to go ahead—not once, but twice during this incredibly volatile time for live events.
Thanks to its remote location, small size, and a huge stroke of luck, the 2021 and 2022 editions of the festival became landmark successes. Far from being scaled back, the COVID years saw the festival reach new heights in community impact, reducing our environmental footprint whilst still maintaining festival growth. For many, it became a symbol of resilience, a celebration of our stunning Aotearoa arts scene and creative freedom during uncertain times.
Highlights includeD
• The birth of the iconic ‘Craypot Stage’
• O & The Mo’s Sunday session
• Mild Orange’s Sunset glow up
• Yurt Party’s mid-afternoon conga lines
• The stunning compostable loos
Tora Bombora Rima: The Final Chapter?
(2023)
The fifth festival took place in Jan 2023 - a sunset edition that brought the journey full circle. If you ask anyone who was there, they’ll likely smile and laugh.
The legacy of this weekend left TB as one of Aotearoa’s most authentic, independent, and creative boutique festivals. It remains a testament to independent event culture, conscious event design, and the power of doing things differently.
The decision to put the festival on hiatus was not driven by circumstance, but rather a time to make space to facilitate the nurturing of new ideas, travel and to get reinspired.
Highlights includeD
• Trinity Roots - legends in the Aotearoa music scene
• The Pocket art space
• Mid-afternoon flash mob thanks to Geo and the many wāhine toa
• Glass Beams
Tora Bombora Ono: A New Dawn
(2027)
For three summers, the paddocks sat quietly. The stages slept, the winds kept moving across the hills, and the coast returned to its familiar rhythm. But some things never really leave. They simply wait.
Whispers began to drift back in with the southerlies. There are stories still to tell and songs yet to be sung. What began as a humble gathering on the Tora Coast has grown into something far greater than a festival — a community, a feeling, a world that people continue to carry with them long after the music fades.
Perhaps some things move in cycles.
Perhaps tides know things that people don’t.
Something is shifting on the horizon.
Stay close.