The Best New Year Festivals in New Zealand
You’re leaving the year in an awesome country and you’re seeing in the new year in an, well, awesome country! That’s worth celebrating, right? Because New Year’s Eve in New Zealand is during summer, it is the perfect time to hit on the many epic New Year festivals in New Zealand. Whatever your budget and whatever your timeframe, you’ll find an awesome festival to celebrate NYE in New Zealand!
Below, you’ll find some of the top NYE events in New Zealand. How about volunteering at one of these events by following our advice in How to Volunteer at a Festival in New Zealand? If you prefer celebrating in another way, however, check out Where to Spend New Year’s Eve in New Zealand.
1. Rhythm and Vines
New Zealand’s biggest NYE celebration is in the first city in the world to see the new year thanks to its position on the International Date Line. The festival in Gisborne has huge acts playing over the New Year in the sensational setting of the Waiohika Estate Vineyard. Get your tickets early before they sell out! For more experiences nearby, check out 20 Best Things to Do in Gisborne.
Date: 29 December – 31 December
Location: Waiohika Estate Vineyard, Gisborne
Where to stay: Camp at the event or look up stays in the 20 Best Hotels & Places to Stay in Gisborne.
© Flickion from New Zealand2. Rhythm and Alps
The sister festival of Rhythm and Vines is held in the stunning setting of the mountainous Cardrona Valley halfway between Queenstown and Wanaka. The festival is packed with an awesome line-up of bands and DJs. While you are in the area, make sure you do these 20 Best Things to Do in Wanaka.
Date: 29 December – 31 December
Location: Cardrona Valley, Wanaka
Where to stay: Camp at the event or check out the 20 Best Hotels & Places to Stay in Wanaka.
© pexels3. Wellington NYE Celebrations
Boogie on down in New Zealand’s capital city with bands playing hits from the 1980s and onwards. This free event at the Whairepo Lagoon (Frank Kitts Park Lagoon) will have you tapping your toes well into the New Year. Fireworks go off at 9 pm for the kids, as well as at 12 am. The after-party continues at the bars and clubs, many of which we mention in our Guide to Wellington Nightlife. Learn more about the event on the Wellington City Council website.
Date: 31 December
Location: Whairepo Lagoon, Wellington
Where to stay: Check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Wellington.
© Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia4. AUM New Year’s Eve Festival
Of course, there are loads of NYE events happening all over Auckland. Travel one hour north of the city centre and you’ll find the awesome hippy camping festival of AUM. Release your creative side with art, workshops, music and all sorts of technical wizardry at this top New Year festival in New Zealand.
Date: 30 December – 2 January
Location: 320 Wilson Road, South Head, Auckland
Where to stay: Camp at the festival or check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Auckland.
© AUM5. Northern Bass
There’s no better place to soak up the sun than the Northland region of the North Island. Enjoy an epic lineup of international drum n bass acts in this awesome three-day summer festival. For more ways to enjoy the area around one of the best New Year festivals in New Zealand, be sure to check out our 10 Best Things to Do in Mangawhai.
Date: 29 – 31 December
Location: 420 Settlement Road, Kaiwaka
Where to stay: Camp at the festival or check out the 10 Best Budget Accommodations in Whangarei or 10 Best Motels in Whangarei.
© Northern Bass6. Highlife NYE
Another vineyard NYE celebration, this time it’s on the Matakana Coast, just a short drive from Auckland. Sip on wine and enjoy live acts, DJs, performers and some show-stopping fireworks at this over-22s festival. If you want to see the New Year in style then this festival is for you! See more experiences nearby in the 10 Best Things to Do on the Matakana Coast.
Date: 31 December
Location: Ascension Wine Estate, Matakana
Where to stay: Check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Auckland.
© HighlifeEntertainment7. Resolution Festival
Need another New Year’s Eve festival option for Auckland? Resolution Festival is calling with 15 zones of 150+ workshops, 80+ musicians, 70+ market stalls, 60+ healer stalls and more. The family-friendly four-day/three-night event is more than just the music (although that’s still a huge part of it). Enjoy transformational workshops, participatory African drumming and dance temples. Kids 12 years and under go free!
Date: 29 December – 2 January
Location: 4127 Kaipara Coast Highway, Tauhoa
Where to stay: Check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Auckland.
© unsplash8. New Year’s Eve Queenstown
Get down to Earnslaw Park on the lakefront of Queenstown for music and fireworks! The streets are packed with a carnival atmosphere and there will be plenty of food stalls for a bite to eat. To top it all off, the NYE event in Queenstown is free! Find out where to find some of the hottest after-parties are in the Party Capital of New Zealand in our Guide to Queenstown Nightlife. More news of the event will be announced on the Queenstown Lakes District Council website.
Date: 31 December
Location: Earnslaw Park, Queenstown
Where to stay: Check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Queenstown.
© Destination Queenstown9. New Year’s Eve Christchurch
A free New Year’s festival in New Zealand is the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Christchurch. North Hagley Park will be the venue for this family-friendly event with live bands, food stalls and lots more going on in the countdown to midnight when the fireworks display begins. For more ways to enjoy the South Island’s largest city, check out the 45 Best Things to Do in Christchurch. More news of the event will be announced on the Christchurch City Council website.
Date: 31 December
Location: North Hagley Park, Christchurch
Where to stay: Check out the 20 Best Hotels & Places to Stay in Christchurch.
© Pixabay10. New Year’s Eve Auckland
Finally, if there weren’t enough festivals going on around Auckland during New Year’s Eve, then at least you have the council-run New Year’s Eve fireworks and light show in the Auckland city centre. In the lead-up to the New Year, there will be a light show on some of the city’s key landmarks, like the Sky Tower, Harbour Bridge, Auckland Museum and Queen Street, followed by fireworks from the Sky Tower. More news of the event will be announced on the Auckland Council website. Otherwise, check out where the after-party is in The Guide to Auckland Nightlife.
Date: 31 December
Location: Auckland CBD
Where to stay: Check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Auckland.
© Unsplash[CANCELLED] Rotorua GLO Festival
From 5 pm on New Year’s Eve, head down to the Rotorua Village Green for a fun and free New Year’s festival in New Zealand. The family-friendly GLO Festival comes alive with live music, performing arts, movies and, of course, fireworks. The fireworks hit the skies at 9.30 pm for families and again at midnight. See more ways to spend your time before and after the festival with the 25 Best Things to Do in Rotorua.
Date: 31 December
Location: Rotorua Village Green, Rotorua
Where to stay: Check out The 50 Best Accommodations in Rotorua.
More About New Year Festivals in New Zealand
That’s it for the best New Year festivals in New Zealand and the top NYE events. Before you go, you might be interested in these similar events:
- What to Do for Christmas in New Zealand
- What is Matariki – The Maori New Year
- 10 Best Summer Festivals in New Zealand
Finally, for more events for the upcoming year, don’t forget to check out The Top New Zealand Events & Festivals!
