Hi Autumn....we have a reggae fest up in Raglan and one down south in Kaikoura....maybe if you google reggae fest NZ....you might find some contacts.....there are alot of people who love reggae here,I'm one....Would be happy to share ,but not sure if I have anything interesting to say about it...

I'm not really the best to answer this either, cause I'm not from NZ but I'll add my tidbit anyway. Anyway, two popular bands that are making waves in NZ are Katchafire and Fat Freddy's Drop. I saw them both at the Parihaka festival and I've heard their music heaps at friends, around town, etc. Fantastik.
Here's from their website www.katchafire.co.nz
"Katchafire had tapped into that bloodline of New Zealand and people, being reacquainted with what they had lost, loved it all over again. Katchafire’s music was uplifting and celebratory, and their gigs were joyous singalong affairs where people of all cultures and affiliations were welcomed. Their audiences are still the most cross-cultural, cross-generational in the country. Katchafire were, and remain, unique in New Zealand music."

I'll add they have a joyous way of being laid back and loving balanced with an upbeat energy.

FFD has earned lots of awards and this is from their site www.fatfreddysdrop.com/home.html
"On stage, Freddy’s fuse skanking urban Pacific roots, soul, dub, jazz and electronica into hypnotic and thunderous grooves. No two Freddy’s gigs are the same as the midnight marauders improvise and jam each song into mystic supernovas of future funk, fakes and freaky sidesteps."

If you're google-ing, maybe look around for "Aotearoa roots"

Yep, agreed... when I was in NZ, it was really evident that the Dub offshoot of reggae is "sweeping the island(s)!"