Up to 5000 campers are expected onsite when the Rhythm and Alps music festival is held in the Cardrona Valley, near Wanaka, at the end of December.
The festival has changed venues, from Methven, in Mid-Canterbury, to Robrosa Station in the valley.
The two-day event is scheduled for December 30 and 31, the same time Rhythm and Vines runs in Gisborne.
Rhythm and Alps organiser Chris Gillies said the shift south was to assist growth of the festival.
''There are a lot people there [already] in a festive mood. This [festival] is perfectly suited to the region,'' he said last night.
The festival will employ up to 100 local people and is expected to provide a economic boost for the area.
Mr Gillies said music on both nights at the bands' main stage and a secondary DJ's stage, ''would ... go on until at least 3am or 4am''.
He said the benefit of having camping facilities for up to 5000 took care of one aspect of host responsibility, with most people staying onsite.
He said resource consent for the event had been granted by the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
The festival is modelled on Rhythm and Vines, which attracts almost 30,000 annually, providing an economic benefit of between $13 million and $15 million, he said.
The line-up of bands and DJs will be announced on Friday, when the $129 tickets go on sale.
