Northern Bass 2026

What it is

For more than 15 years, Northern Bass has been one of New Zealand’s main New Year’s festivals for drum and bass, jungle and electronic music. The 2026 festival celebrates its 15th anniversary with three stages and two nights of music on 30 and 31 December, on farmland at Kaiwaka, just over an hour north of Auckland. The first wave of artists has been announced, with more to come.

What to expect

Two nights of big sound systems and a crowd that, in the organisers’ words, “knows exactly how to close out the year”. Most people camp. On site there are food vendors, hot showers, a convenience store and phone-charging stations. New Year’s Eve is the biggest night.

Who it suits

Drum and bass and electronic music fans, and groups of friends who want a camping festival close to Auckland.

Tickets and booking

• 2-day passes cover both nights, with camping or day options.
• 30 December only: day passes only, with no camping.
• 31 December only: day passes or camping passes for the countdown.

Tickets are released in limited tiers. Prices rise as each tier sells out, so buy early.

Fuzen Lounge (VIP) includes a viewing area with a direct sightline to the stage, a VIP-only bar, private toilets, queue jumps at the entrance and campsite bar, a free Turn cup and free phone charging. It sells out early every year.

Camping options:

• General camping: bring your own tent (under 3 m by 3 m for most groups).
• Bass Hotel: pre-pitched bell tents for 2, 3 or 4 people with inner-sprung mattresses and bedding, parking close by, and private showers and flushing toilets.
• Green Camp: pre-pitched tents and reserved sites in a premium spot, if you commit to leaving your campsite spotless.
• Ultimate Festival Kits: budget pre-pitched tents for 1, 2 or 4 people with air mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows and chairs.
• Campervans: vehicles under 6 m. Caravans up to 4.5 m can come too.

Bass Hotel, Green Camp and UFK packages include camping passes for everyone in the tent, and one person buys for the whole tent.

Getting there

Kaiwaka is about 95 km and 1 hour 20 minutes’ drive north of Auckland city on SH1 (an estimate, before festival traffic).

• NB buses are the best way to get to site, according to the organisers. All tickets are return: pick your departure date, then your trips. You need a valid festival ticket first, and you must catch the service you booked. Buses only stop at the listed places.
• Mangawhai shuttle: runs every 15 to 30 minutes between Mangawhai and the festival. Passes are valid for the day booked.
• Driving: roads get very busy and Settlement Road is closed from SH1 to everything except festival access. Carpool if you can. Parking on site is free; parking on the road outside is not allowed and cars are towed.
• Taxis and drop-offs: use Gate B at 433 Settlement Road. Only pre-booked taxis are allowed.

Where to stay

Camp on site, or look for baches (holiday homes) and rentals in the surrounding towns, as the organisers suggest. Mangawhai has the shuttle, and campgrounds at Mangawhai and Ruakākā are other options. Plan your transport before you book, and book early because the Northland coast is busy at New Year.

Rules on the buses

Alcohol is not allowed on the buses and will be confiscated, and intoxicated people are refused entry. Tickets are scanned before you board.

Make a trip of it

Northland’s beaches are at their best in summer. Head north to the Bay of Islands after the festival, or read our freedom camping guide if you are travelling in a campervan.