Rhythm and Vines is a New Year's music and camping festival at Waiohika Estate near Gisborne: campers arrive from 28 December, with three festival days from 29 to 31 December 2026. Four-day camping and festival passes start from $479 plus booking fee, and some campgrounds have sold out. Organisers say 2026 is the final Rhythm and Vines held in Gisborne.
On this page
Key facts
- When
- Festival days 29 to 31 December 2026. Campers' Waiohika Warmup on 28 December.
- Where
- Waiohika Estate, Gisborne
- Tickets
- 4-day camping and festival pass from $479; 3-day festival pass from $359; single day from $179 (all plus booking fees)
- Tiers
- Early bird, first release and final release. Earlier is cheaper.
- Buses
- Bus passes from $40.25. Six pick-up points around Gisborne.
- Parking
- Priority parking from $60 plus fee per vehicle
- Sold
- Through Moshtix, linked from the official tickets page
- Nearest airport
- Gisborne Airport, about 15 minutes by car (estimate)
What it is
Rhythm and Vines (R&V) started in 2003 and has become a bucket-list festival and a rite of passage for New Zealand music fans. It is held among the vines of Waiohika Estate just outside Gisborne, on the East Coast of the North Island, where you are among the first people in the world to see in the new year. The lineup mixes local and international artists across several stages, and most people camp for the whole thing.
Organisers say 2026 is the final Rhythm and Vines held in Gisborne, which is likely to make this year’s festival especially popular.
What to expect
- 28 December: campers arrive and the Waiohika Warmup opening night kicks off, open only to onsite campers.
- 29 to 31 December: three full festival days across several stages, including the One NZ Vines Stage, Rhythm Stage, Cellar Stage and the Garden Stage on the lawn of the Waiohika Homestead, which focuses on new bands.
- 31 December: the New Year’s Eve countdown, a festival tradition with its own countdown video each year.
Food courts include Vines Village and Grand Central. Set times are released closer to the festival.
Who it suits
Festival-goers and groups of friends who are happy camping for four nights. If you would rather sleep in a bed, a three-day or single-day pass with a bus from town works well.
Tickets and booking
Tickets are sold through Moshtix from the official tickets page. Prices rise in tiers (early bird, first release, final release), so the earlier you buy, the more you save.
Four-day camping and festival passes (festival entry plus four nights of camping from 28 December):
- Meadow Camp from $479: a spacious field behind Rhythm Stage. Includes the Waiohika Warmup.
- Lil Treble Camp from $489: closest campground to the car park.
- Bass Camp from $509: in the heart of the festival next to the Vines Village food court.
- Rhythm Camp from $539: boutique camping between Cellar Stage, Vines Village and Rhythm Stage.
- Treble Camp (largest and most popular) and Premium Camp (flush toilets, showers, chill-out space and pamper area) have sold out.
Without camping: a 3-day festival pass from $359, or a single-day pass from $179 for 29, 30 or 31 December. All prices are plus booking fees.
Add-ons: Vintage Club VIP (express entry, viewing platforms, better toilets and VIP bars), a Gold Camp upgrade with showers and flush toilets, a Vines Wing side-of-stage pass from $10 per artist, priority parking from $60 per vehicle, and pre-pitched Bookatent tents from $80.
Join the free R&V Legends loyalty programme for presale access and perks.
Getting there
Gisborne is remote by New Zealand standards, which is part of the adventure.
- Fly: Gisborne Airport has domestic flights and is about 15 minutes by car from Waiohika Estate (an estimate). Flights around New Year sell out, so book early.
- Drive: Napier is about 3 hours away (an estimate). Auckland and Wellington are much longer trips, so most people from those cities fly or break the drive.
- Festival buses: bus passes start at $40.25. Services run on 29 and 30 December from 1.30 pm to 2 am and on 31 December from 1.30 pm to 6 am, picking up at Gisborne City (Fitzherbert Street), the Gisborne i-SITE, Wainui (Okitu Store), Kaiti School, Gisborne Girls’ High School and Lytton West Shops.
- Parking: priority parking puts you as close to the campgrounds as possible.
Where to stay
Most people camp on site. If you are not camping, book Gisborne accommodation as soon as you have your ticket, because the town fills up over New Year. Wainui, a beach suburb with a festival bus stop, is a good alternative to the city.
What to bring
- A tent (unless you book a Bookatent), a sleeping bag or duvet and pillow. No mattresses: they are banned for fire safety.
- Sunscreen, a hat and plenty of layers. It is summer, but nights can still be cool.
- If you book a pre-pitched tent, the team packs it down after the festival for reuse, which reduces single-use camping waste.
Make a trip of it
Our freedom camping guide explains where you can legally park a campervan if you are road tripping to and from the East Coast. For the wider North Island, see our 10-day North Island road trip.
FAQ
How much are Rhythm and Vines tickets?
Is 2026 really the last Rhythm and Vines?
Which campground should I choose?
Can I bring a mattress?
How do I get to the festival from Gisborne?
What is the Waiohika Warmup?
Sources
Last checked 11 November 2026 against the organiser's own pages
