Festivals Returning As New Zealand Lifts Coronavirus Restrictions

Festivals are returning to New Zealand after all coronavirus restrictions were lifted June 8 after 10 weeks of lockdown. Borders are still restricted and when they will open remains to be seen, so promoters are currently focused on bills with New Zealand acts.

Reggae festival Good Vibes immediately announced it is hitting eight centers around the country July 17 to Aug. 8 with Katchafire, L.A.B., Kora, Sons Of Zion, Ardijah, Three Houses Down and Stan Walker, among others.

Splore put 9,000 tix on its market for its Feb. 26 to 28 gathering at Tapapakanga Regional Park, south of Auckland.

Summer festivals had already found support from long time patrons just in case, the NZ Herald reported May 25.

Rhythm & Vines, partly owned by Live Nation since 2019, has sold 90% of its 20,000 ticket allocation for its Dec. 28 to 31 event at Waiohika Estate in Gisborne.

Co-promoter Hamish Pinkham will spend the next months working out options of international additions before the first artist unveil August.

Rhythm & Alps, which celebrates its 10th anniversary Dec. 29 to 31 in Wanaka, is set to go to market. At this stage it is continuing with an all-New Zealand for its 10,000 attendees.

Northern Bass (Dec. 29 to January 1) is heading for its 30,000 sell-out after its quickest sales, said director Gareth Popham. The acts have not been announced but Popham has two alternate lineups – an all New Zealand and one with international acts booked earlier in the year.