Tourism Waitaki events co-ordinator Jan Kennedy said although the inaugural carnival was popular last year and was attended by about 2500 people, efforts had been made to improve the event.
Mrs Kennedy said more food stalls would be on offer this year, alongside new musical acts, which this year would include the Wellington-based tribute act the Beat Girls, alongside local bands.
''It is a bigger production as far as the lighting and pyrotechnic shows, and the sound. The production has increased hugely.
''We have put our second stage back at Harbour St to allow the flow back into Wansbeck St, to allow the flow through Harbour St to be a lot less restrictive.''
She said the event, which would take place on Harbour St, in the town's Victorian Precinct, would run from 6pm to 9.30pm.
''The whole purpose behind this was to showcase our beautiful Victorian architecture in winter and at night time, and to provide affordable entertainment at winter time - that sort of thing doesn't usually happen.
''We are illuminating the street lovely; it's going to be all beautifully lit up, but we will also have films and projections showing on the buildings. It's going to be a visual overload.''
Popular events from last year, such as the masquerade parade, and a World War 2 cannon would return, but there would be a ''surprise finale'' at the end of this year's event, she said.
She added that the Taieri Gorge Railway's Silver Fern train would also depart Dunedin at 3.45pm and arrive in Oamaru at 6pm, in time for the start of the carnival.
