Luma’s fresh take for 2024
Queenstowners can expect some big changes for this year’s LUMA Southern Light Project festival, including a site redesign and a kids zone.
The immersive arts festival takes over Queenstown Gardens on King’s Birthday Weekend, from 30 May - 3 June, offering soundscapes, live music, illuminated art, sculptures, sonic environments, interactive performance, and hospo.
Like last year, adult tickets are priced $25 in advance and allocated to specific nights. Under 12s are free but still need a ticket.
LUMA Chairman Duncan Forsyth says the festival organising committee is freshening things up by moving further into the peninsula.
“We try to keep things different every year, and this year is no exception. The main change is we’re moving around the way people will interact with events.
“The Rose Garden will be the centre point, the fulcrum, and people will be able to walk into the forests and around the headlands, and the lower forest, and the ponds will be a great piece of reflection and immersion.
“You’ll be within the installations a lot more this year.”
Last year, hospitality was centered around the circus-themed area near the rotunda, but that led to some congestion.
“It was very enclosed, so we’ve moved to bring people out into the open areas, where there’s more action, performance and music, and we’re changing up the offerings on food, bringing some new people in.”
There’ll be licensed areas as usual, including in the forest. “But that’s never been a big part of what we do, it’s just part of the whole offering. We’ve never had a focal bar, but you can get a drink.”
For 2024, there’s also a dedicated kids zone, where youngsters can prep before heading into the event, including face painting and headdress design.
“It’s almost like a green room, where they can get ready before walking around the rest of the event,” Forsyth says. “We’ve got a disco, a little movie place, and entertainment for them.”
Around 60,000 people attended the magical event in 2023, which is put on by the charitable trust, with more than 200 volunteers, and features the work of 55 artists.
“We’re not a commercial entity, we a charitable trust and we put a lot of effort into this, so that for the price of a pizza everyone can get a really good night out.
“We’re encouraging everyone to get a ticket. There’ll be something of a different vibe each night, with Friday great for the families, Saturday always a party night, a female line up on Sunday and a bit of opera on Monday.”
LUMA’s trusted team of creative partners are back to bring the festival to life, including Mike Hodgson from Kiwi electronic duo Pitch Black, Angus Muir from AMD, aerialist Emma Vickers of Fantail Creative, Creature Post, SILO, plus, a host of exciting, emerging artists, entertainers and performers.
