The music will be coming from six Wakatipu High School pupils who plan to busk to entertain pedestrians and take requests in return for donations during their 40 Hour Famine for World Vision.
"It will draw so much attention. We're going to entertain all the people on Friday and Saturday nights," Philippa Cochrane (17) said.
Philippa, Bruno Shirley (17), Dahn Kim (18), Sonya Chalmers (17), Frances Allan (17) and Russell Stirling (18) launch Youth Awareness Week when they enter the cage on Friday, at 6pm.
The year 13 music pupils will survive on only juice and barley sugars.
They would be filling up on burgers before the prop padlock went on the cage, Bruno joked.
They will take in mattresses, sleeping bags, hot-water bottles, mobile phones, a few instruments and a donation box, which will be emptied regularly.
Queenstown police have been notified of their presence.
Their street camp-out will bolster other school efforts for World Vision, which include a cream-pie throwing fundraiser, an art and photography competition for senior pupils and a music concert.
About $12,000 was raised by pupils last year, a low figure because of the recession, but $21,000 had been raised in 2008, the group said.
"Go without for those without" was the slogan this year, Sonya said.
"Our big goal is to raise $30,000, which is a high target, but we believe it's achievable because of the support of the community and businesses, and we're hoping for more."
The team had raised almost $1300 by Friday, mostly from the value of donated Queenstown adventure activities.
They will be used as incentives and spot prizes for other pupils to gather sponsorship.
Each of the high school's 850 pupils has been challenged to collect at least $50.
The six fundraising leaders are scheduled to exit their cage on Sunday, at 10am.
The national Youth Awareness Week has the theme of "connecting young people and families" and runs from Saturday, May 22 to Sunday, May 30.
