Rhythm and Vines

Rhythm and Vines is a four-day music and camping festival held at Waiohika Estate in Gisborne, New Zealand. Founded in 2003, it is the first festival in the world to welcome the new year, thanks to Gisborne's position near the International Date Line. The festival runs across four stages from December 28 to 31, with a campers' pre-party on December 28 and main programming from December 29 through New Year's Eve. The 2026 edition runs December 28 to 31, with the lineup to be announced.

How Rhythm and Vines Works

The festival takes place at Waiohika Estate, a vineyard property in Gisborne on New Zealand's East Coast. The site accommodates approximately 10,000 attendees across multiple camping zones and four stages. The festival runs for four days, culminating in a New Year's Eve countdown celebration that includes an official fireworks display and live performances past midnight.

Key operational details:

1. Stages and Programming: The festival runs four stages, programming a mix of electronic, pop, indie, and house music. Past lineups have featured international headliners alongside New Zealand and Australian acts. The 2025 edition (December 29 to 31, 2025) featured Kid Cudi, Turnstile, Wilkinson, Maribou State, and L.A.B. as headliners, with over 100 acts across four stages.
2. Camping: Camping is a core part of the Rhythm and Vines experience. Options include Treble Camp (sold out early in 2025), Lil Treble, Premium Camp, Bass Camp, and Greenfields Camping (which includes a complimentary Bookatent for two). The campers' pre-party on December 28 kicks off the festival before the main stages open on December 29.
3. Ticketing: Tickets are sold through Moshtix and the official Rhythm and Vines website. Camping tickets sell out quickly, with Treble Camp selling out as early as June for the 2025 edition. The festival also offers a loyalty program called R&V Legends, which unlocks presale access, ticket discounts, and perks based on attendance history.
4. Location and Timing: Gisborne is one of the first cities in the world to see the sunrise each day. The festival leverages this by programming its main New Year's Eve celebration to coincide with the first sunrise of the new year. The 2026 edition will be the first to welcome 2027.

Real-World Example: Rhythm and Vines 2025

The 2025 edition ran December 29 to 31 at Waiohika Estate (with the campers' pre-party on December 28). Headliners included Kid Cudi, Turnstile, Wilkinson, Maribou State, and L.A.B. The full lineup featured over 100 acts, including 070 Shake, A-Trak, Charlotte Plank, Cyril, FCUKERS, Home Brew, Jane Remover, Keli Holiday, Lucille Croft, Montell2099, and Skepsis.

The festival released its final acts, full schedule, and official map two weeks before the event. New additions for 2025 included destination bars, sponsor activations, the official Countdown Video NYE show, the Lipton Iced Tea Waterslide, and I Love You Bro Hill as festival staples.

Camping tickets remained available in Lil Treble, Premium Camp, and Bass Camp heading into the event. Greenfields Camping was newly released, offering a complimentary Bookatent 2-person tent when buying two festival camping tickets.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Rhythm and Vines is New Zealand's premier multi-day music festival and one of the few major festivals in the Southern Hemisphere that programs international and local emerging acts side by side. The festival's booking team actively seeks out New Zealand and Australian artists who are building streaming momentum and touring locally. A Rhythm and Vines slot puts an artist in front of 10,000 engaged festival-goers during one of the most celebratory windows of the year.

The strategy for getting booked:

1. Build a following in New Zealand and Australia through venue tours and support slots. Rhythm and Vines bookers track artists who sell out local shows and generate streaming growth in the region.
2. Get support from New Zealand radio and press. Stations like George FM, Base FM, and Radio New Zealand have direct relationships with the festival's booking team.
3. Work with an Australasian booking agent who has relationships with Live Nation New Zealand, which promotes the festival.
4. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your streaming growth in New Zealand and Australia, as festival bookers evaluate emerging acts based on regional streaming data.

Read our music festival strategy guide for a deeper dive on getting booked at major festivals.

Related Resources

• Music Festivals Directory - Explore other major festivals in Oceania and beyond
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming growth that attracts festival bookings
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Plan your Australasian festival tour budget
• Music Festival Strategy: Get Booked and Make It Count
• Official Rhythm and Vines Website