Issue #917

by Quentin Nolan - Director

It’s not every day that we get 6,000 people travelling to Queenstown to celebrate our mountains, and it’s certainly not every day that we get some of Australasia’s biggest music acts performing on them. In short, this is the magic of music and après-ski festival, Snow Machine, which we’re hosting for the second time in Queenstown this week.

This marriage of a ski holiday and destination music festival is why the event has such an international pull. Festival attendees are here, to share their love of music, snow and experience everything Queenstown has to offer! But, Queenstown’s inherent desirability shouldn’t be taken for granted, as a town it’s why we attract so many visitors, and it’s one of the reasons we contract such major headline acts. Benee, Coterie, Hilltop Hoods, Peking Duk, Shapeshifter are just a few – they’re here to perform, yes, but they’re also here to experience Queenstown.

Of course, the festival is just as much about the Queenstown community as it is about our international and domestic visitors. Throughout the week anyone can head up Coronet Peak or The Remarkables to watch artists perform en-piste, it’s free. We’ve also got discounted tickets to our three main stage events available exclusively for locals at our Church Street pop-up store.

In fact, the success of the festival is a testament to the power of community collaboration and the combined efforts of over 150 local businesses and especially NZSki. A festival of our size delivers an immediate economic benefit to the region, in what was traditionally considered an ‘off-peak’ week, we’re injecting over $15 million dollars back into the community.

However, I must acknowledge the challenges we have faced in obtaining a suitable main stage location. A central location is key in reducing the need for transport, and will help mitigate avoidable emissions and congestion along Frankton Road, allowing us to deliver a sustainable event for years to come. Not to mention further bolstering our economy with attendees able to walk to centrally located businesses. But the show must go on and that means adapting to the circumstances. We’re hugely grateful for the support from Remarkables Park and we look forward to delivering an amazing event for all alongside them. But we won’t lose hope in working collaboratively with the council to achieve finding a sustainable solution for the future. Until then, we’ll stay focussed on what matters most, delivering a world-class experience.

We encourage everyone to come and join us this week and experience the après energy for yourselves! Head up to the snow, dance to the music, have an après beverage and celebrate what living in Queenstown is all about. See you up there!