We don't know about you but we are long overdue for a good festival.
Across the country, we'll be locking in tickets to some of the best festivals Aotearoa has to offer including the return of Laneway Festival, all promising an epic mash-up of beats, good vibes and all-around fun times.
So dust off your festie attire, grab your crew and take your pick from our ultimate guide to the best festivals in New Zealand. Let the partying begin!
The Best Music Festivals In New Zealand In 2024
Hidden Valley
Matakana | 27 December 2024
Matakana is where the party’s at this month as festival favourite Hidden Valley is back bigger and better than before. The one-day fest will see the king of drum and bass, Bou, mix up a storm, and rave master, BUNT, take to the stage alongside Issey Cross, SubSonic, and heaps more. Get amped up for 2025 at this cheeky pre-nye party.
Hidden Lakes Festival
Hagley Park | 28 Dec 2024
There’s no better way to finish off the year than a festival, especially when it’s right there in your own city. One of Christchurch's best events, Hidden Lakes takes place under the sun in Hagley Park, always with a banging lineup, multiple stages, and awesome crowds of people to boogie with. For locals who enjoy touring Aotearoa’s festivals all summer long, Hidden Lakes is an ideal place to kick off in the December heat with a cold brewsky in hand.
Northern Bass
Mangawhai | 29-31 December 2024
Northern Bass is a staple in the NYE festival scene. Hundreds of people from all over New Zealand and even the world flock to Mangawhai every year to attend this three-day festival. End your 2024 by dancing the night away, and start 2025 as you mean to go on by listening to sick beats, moving your feet, and digging into some tasty treats.
Rhythm & Vines
Gisborne | 29-31 December 2024
Set amongst the vines in sunny Gisborne, Rhythm & Vines is practically a rite of passage. It’s also the first festival in the world to welcome the first sunrise of the new year. Magical. Each year the three-day festival has a jam-packed line-up with more talent than you can shake a musical stick at.
This year will be no different—it's going to be an absolute summer scorcher filled with an epic mash-up of beats and good vibes.
Resolution NYE Festival
Ariki Estate | 29 December - 2 January 2024
Reset, receive and recreate at Resolution Festival—a four-day festival focusing on wellness, health and happiness at Ariki Estate. Promising a cracking line-up of local artists, epic workshops, wellness classes, yoga, barn raves, dance therapy, interactive art installations—the list goes on. So, If you’re after something a little different, or looking to add more meaning to your New Year, then ditch the booze and enter this utopia of community, wellness and magic.
Rhythm & Alps
Wanaka | 30-31 December 2024
Image credit: Rhythm and Alps | supplied
Set in the stunning Southern Alps, Rhythm & Alps has got to be one of the best festivals around. This year’s festival comes with an insane lineup including powerhouse Becky Hill, Andy C, and Shapeshifter, who will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. Also joining the bill are Badger, Bag Raiders, Cassie Henderson, Sir Dave Dobbyn, and heaps more. Mountains, music and marvellous moves—does it get much better? We think not.
The Best Music Festivals In New Zealand In 2025
Juicy Festival
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga | 8, 10, 11, 12 January 2025
If 90s music is your jam then Juicy Festival is the place to be this summer. Step back in time and party it up with hip-hop legends Akon, Ludacris, Jay Sean, and heaps more. Juicy Fest is a one-day festival that will travel around New Zealand, playing in Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga, and Auckland before jetting off to Australia. If you grew up in the era of hip-hop and R&B then it's time to jump on that nostalgia train and reminisce on the sounds of the 90s and 2000s.
Golden Lights
Fields of Trusts Arena | 10 January 2025
If you're looking for an epic mash-up of beats, vibes and all-around good times then head to Golden Lights Festival—a one-day dance odyssey at Thr Trusts Arena. Whether you wish to immerse yourself in electro, indie rock or some dirty drum and bass, this epic fest has got something for everyone. So grab a cold brewsky and party it up with Becky Hill, Luude, Sachi and more. It's going to be lit.
NZ Spirit Festival South Island
Christchurch | 23-26 January 2025
Reset, receive and recreate at NZ Spirit Festival South Island—a four-day festival focusing on wellness, health, and happiness at Ariki Estate, Kaipara. Promising a cracking line-up of local artists, epic workshops, wellness classes, yoga, dance therapy, interactive art installations—the list goes on. So, If you’re after something a little different, then enter this utopia of community, wellness, and magic.
The Auckland Folk Festival
Kumeu Showgrounds | 24-27 January 2025
For all you folk lovers out there, The Auckland Folk Festival is setting up shop at Kumeu Showgrounds for its 50th year over Auckland Anniversary Weekend, where a cracking line-up of the best in contemporary and traditional folk music will take to the stage including Adam McGrath, Austral, Barleyshakes, Basant Madhur Ensemble, BB & Alex, and more. So, whatever your taste in folk music there will be something for you to savour.
Laneway Festival
Western Springs | 6 February 2025
Auckland's fave boutique festie—Laneway Festival—is returning for 2025 at Western Springs and they've announced an absolute bangin' lineup.
Charlie XCX, Clairo, and beabadoobee are headlining alongside some heavy hitters from across the globe including Barry Can't Swim, Bicep, Olivia Dean, Remi Wolf, and more. Phew!
We for one are absolutely fizzing, so register for pre-sale access then sit back, relax and wait for the magical day of beats, eats, sunshine and good vibes to come around.
Shipwrecked
Te Arai | 7-9 February 2025
Become a pirate for the weekend at Shipwrecked—a boutique music and arts festival that is sure to capture your heart. Nestled between three lakes in an idyllic landscape not far from the hum of Auckland, the Shipwrecked Festival site at Te Arai has been lovingly curated over the years to transform into a spectacular playground.
Taking inspiration from the European festival scene, with uniquely Kiwi vibes–it's going to be an unforgettable experience. So come together to celebrate and immerse yourself in a weekend of underground music, visual and interactive art, nature, and life itself.
Electric Avenue
Christchurch, 21 & 22 February 2025
Christchurch’s biggest day festival, Electric Avenue, has expanded to two days for 2025 and we can't contain our excitement. If you’re after the ultimate two-day party then Electric Avenue Festival is the place to be. With more than 60 acts, including big names like Chase & Status, Empire of the Sun, Tash Sultana, The Prodigy, Wilkinson, Fat Freddy’s Drop and heaps more. With multiple stages and 48 hours of festie fun to be had, this two-day fest promises good times and great vibes in the heart of Christchurch’s Hagley Park.
WOMAD - The World's Festival
New Plymouth, 14-16 March 2025
Think nothing much happens in New Plymouth? Think again. Once again, WOMAD is set to bring the best in music, art and dance together in what’s going to be a bloody good time. This is a cultural festival with many different settings up for exploration.
Get amongst their Kunming Garden to find your inner zen or hit up their global village where you can eat your way around the globe with international cuisine. You’ll be kept busy with art installations, site performances and workshops as well as grooving to the epic tunes of the 'World’s Festival'.
NZ Spirit Festival North Island
Kumeu Showgrounds | 27-30 March 2025
Reset, receive and recreate at NZ Spirit Festival North Island—a four-day festival focusing on wellness, health, and happiness at Kumeu Showgrounds. Promising a cracking line-up of local artists, epic workshops, wellness classes, yoga, dance therapy, interactive art installations—the list goes on. So, If you’re after something a little different, then enter this utopia of community, wellness, and magic.
Homegrown Festival
Wellington | 14-15 March 2025
Wellington’s waterfront is in for a treat. 2025 sees Jim Beam Homegrown continue its stellar record of showing Wellingtonians how to party. Every year the line-up gets better and better, and this year they've got a crackin' line-up of local artists including Shapeshifter, Sir Dave Dobbyn, Sons of Zion, Drax Project, Stan Walker—and that's just to name a few. Setting new sell-out records every year in their five-stage waterfront party, reserve your tickets now to ring in the end of summer in the nation’s capital.
Earth Beat Festival
Kaipara | 19-25 March 2025
As well as promising a cracking line-up, epic workshops, wellness classes, comedy, poetry, markets—the list goes on, Earth Beat Festival focuses on sustainability and believes that we should care, respect and show gratitude towards Mother Earth—and we couldn't agree more.
Show your love at this zero-waste fest by celebrating sustainability and new ways of living and learn about permaculture, regenerative planting and much more.
The festival also holds strong Māori values and hosts a variety of workshops for you to get amongst. The best part is that this diverse event is just a 75-minute drive from Auckland on the beautiful shores of the Kaipara.
Mānuka Farm Synthony In The Domain 2025
29 Mar | Auckland Domain
Welcome to the world of Synthony—a worldwide movement that pairs famous orchestras with flat-cap-wearing DJs to host wall-to-wall banger fests. The boutique outdoor festival will transform the Auckland Domain into a full-blown multi-sensory extravaganza experience for summer vibes incarnate.
The lineup's a slay with the likes of Auckland Philharmonia, Basement Jaxx, Cyril, Example, Darude (the Finnish producer behind hit techno song, Sandstorm), Kora, Ladi6, Kings, P Digsss, Dick Johnson and Th' Dudes, It's sure to sell out so if this sounds like a bit of you, get on it, stat.
While you're travelling the country, why not take one of these amazing Kiwi road trips.
Main image credit: Rhythm & Alps | Facebook.
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