Organisers insist attendees at Wanaka’s Rhythm and Alps festival must be vaccinated

With the New Zealand Government having announced that vaccine passports are set to be mandated for large events and public gatherings, the organisers of Wanaka’s Rhythm and Alps festival have acknowledged this as a “positive development” towards ensuring that festival going ahead at the end of the year.

In a statement, the organisers of the South Island's biggest New Year's music festival, advise “R&A urges that if you wish to attend the festival please ensure you get vaccinated now, to be fully vaccinated and fully protected and do the things you love, you need to be vaccinated this month, not in December.”

The organisers added “if you no longer wish to attend the festival under these terms, you are able to resell your ticket on our official resale platform.”

In a post on Facebook, organisers of the Rhythm and Alps music festival, near Wanaka, said the New Zealand Government had stated the use of vaccine passports would be mandated at large events and would most likely start from November.

Every year, the Rhythm and Alps festival sells out. This year's festival, which runs from 29th to 31st December is expected ato attract about 24,000 people.

Meanwhile, a campaign aiming to make Canterbury the most vaccinated region in the country is ramping up.

Fush, based in Wigram, is offering free food to anyone who gets vaccinated at the Nga Hau e Wha National Marae clinic in Wainoni.