New Zealand has a lively music and performing arts scene, and 2020 is shaping up to be an exciting year for New Zealand music festivals. Do you enjoy jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, reggae, pop, dub or a little bit of everything? If so, you’re sure to find some enjoyable New Zealand music festivals to put on your travel itinerary. Here’s the lowdown on some of the best upcoming events in 2020:
1. WOMAD 2020: The World of Music, Arts and Dance Festival
The WOMAD Festival is a family-friendly event featuring multiple live music acts from numerous countries. Rounding out the festivities, there are also organised art exhibits, dance demonstrations, craft workshops and a global village food court. You’re encouraged to bring your kids to this festival, and there’s a special Kidzone area that’s designed just for them.
This is intended to be a sustainable, zero-waste event. Reusable drink containers will be sold on site in case you forget to bring your own with you.
Dates: 13 – 15 March 2020
Location: New Plymouth, New Zealand
Official website: WOMAD
2. 2020 Earth Beat Festival
Earthbeat presents a varied musical lineup in diverse genres that include rock ‘n’ roll, folk music, house music, reggae and more. The bands come from multiple countries and represent multicultural perspectives.
At this festival, single-use, disposable items and packaging are discouraged – although recycling facilities will be available for holidaymakers on site. Instead, you’re encouraged to bring your own reusable water bottles and take all your trash home with you. The goal is to make Earth Beat 2020 a zero-waste event.
Dates: 20-22 March 2020
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand
Official website: Earth Beat Festival
3. The 58th National Jazz Festival, Tauranga:
If live jazz music is your thing, head to downtown Tauranga for Easter 2020 to experience the annual Jazz Festival. This year’s lineup includes live bands performing music in the jazz, funk, and blues genres. There’s also a vintage car parade scheduled, plus a craft market and food vendors. This is a family-friendly event that’s suitable for kids to attend. Children up to age 14 are admitted for free.
Dates: 8-12 April 2020
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
Official website: The 58th National Jazz Festival
4. The Wellington Jazz Festival
The Wellington Jazz Festival is a great place to see local New Zealand jazz bands as well as internationally-known acts from around the globe. Besides the excellent live music, you can also expect there will be world-famous New Zealand wine, artisanal craft beer and delicious food on offer. This is a huge event that tends to attract more than 25,000 people every year.
Dates: 3 – 7 June 2020
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Official website: Wellington Jazz Festival
5. Snowboxx
Do you enjoy skiing, snowboarding or other cold-weather sports as much as you like music? If so, the Snowboxx festival is likely to appeal to you. Snowboxx is a 7-day party held at a high-altitude ski resort. In 2020, one of the Snowboxx events will take place in New Zealand – which is a departure from its usual location in the French Alps.
Talented DJs tend to be your musical party hosts at this event, rather than live bands. Fatboy Slim and Stormzy were past participants. At the time of this posting, the Snowboxx lineup for New Zealand in 2020 has yet to be announced.
Dates: 8 – 15 September 2020
Location: The Cardrona ski resort located 34 kilometres southwest of Wanaka, New Zealand
Official website: Snowboxx
6. Rhythm and Vines 2020
If you’d be interested in celebrating the arrival of a new year by partying with 21,000 other people in a giant makeshift campground, consider attending Rhythm and Vines 2020. This annual, 3+ day event brings together diverse musical acts ranging from DJs to hip-hop artists to reggae bands. The crowd tends to be young, lively and trend-conscious.
If you want to sleep overnight on site, multiple options exist for tent camping. You can bring your own tent, or you can purchase upgraded glamping or teepee packages. If you’d rather stay in a hotel or motel offsite, those accommodations are also available.
Dates: 29 – 31 December 2020
Location: Gisborne, New Zealand
Official website: Rhythm and Vines
These are just a few of the fantastic music festivals you can look forward to attending in New Zealand this year. If any of these events sound like something you want to partake in, feel free to contact us. Our specialty is arranging private guided tours for small groups of 1-30 people. Whether your ideal itinerary includes music festivals, food festivals, winery tours, adventure tours or any other type of specialty tours, we’d be delighted to accommodate you.
