31 Dec 2018

New Year's Eve festivities to look out for across NZ

1:52 pm on 31 December 2018

New Zealanders wanting to welcome in the New Year with a bang can look out for these exciting events being held across the country.

Fireworks displays from the Sky Tower.

Photo: 123rf / Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye

Here's a rundown of the main New Year's Eve events:

Auckland

Auckland is the first major city in the world to welcome in 2019.

Both the Sky Tower and the Harbour Bridge will be lit up. At midnight, there will be the annual fireworks display from the Sky Tower. There will be a light display on the Harbour Bridge at the same time.

The Wondergarden music festival is being held again at Silo Park on the waterfront.

Tauranga

The Tauranga City Council hasn't hosted a New Year's Eve event at Mount Maunganui since 2016, after crowd control and safety issues at that year's event.

The council will be taking the same approach this year, but there will be an increased police presence in the area.

There will be a midnight fireworks display in Tauranga and a number of community events.

Gisborne

Gisborne plays host to the country's biggest multi-day music festival, Rhythm and Vines, now into its 16th year.

A crowd of 21,000 will be partying in the New Year among the vines at Waiohika Estate.

Wellington

The capital has its annual New Year's Eve party on the waterfront, at Whairepo Lagoon, by Frank Kitts Park.

There will be music, entertainment and food trucks, and a fireworks display at midnight.

Christchurch

Christchurch's Hagley Park will tonight be hosting one of the largest New Year's Eve gatherings in the South Island.

Hundreds of people are expected at Lake Victoria from 6pm to see out 2018 with fairies, fireworks and family activities.

There will be music and entertainment - including the Jordan Luck Band - as well as a fireworks display to ring in 2019.

Queenstown

Queenstown is becoming an ever more popular destination for New Year's Eve revellers. On the lakefront, there will be two stages with live music and other entertainment throughout the night.

And as the clock strikes 12, there'll be fireworks over Lake Wakatipu.

Wanaka

The sister festival to Rhythm and Vines, Rhythm and Alps, wraps up on New Year's Eve. The South Island's largest country music and camping festival, Top Paddock, is also on at Lake Hawea.

There'll be a free event on the Wanaka lakefront as well.

Dunedin

Dunedin will mark the end of 2018 with a concert in the Octagon. The family-friendly, free event will have music, entertainment and food stalls.