Last April's inaugural festival was hailed a success by organisers Geoff Hunt, as it attracted an estimated 1500 to 2000 people to the resort for a week and a-half of cycling events.
In addition to last year's line-up, which included flagship events the Super D endurance race, Corona Dirtmasters and the Tour De Wakatipu, Mr Hunt said organisers were pushing for some new additions. One of these is the Slope Style race, tentatively scheduled for the Ballarat St car park in April. It only needs a sponsor to go ahead.
"The idea is that the biker starts off [riding] a tall tower and there would be five different elements to go through, such as a quarter-pipe and all sorts of other things," Mr Hunt said.
He described it as analogous to the Winter Games' Parklife Invitational Rail Jam in Earnslaw Park, with the potential to have a DJ playing for spectators.
The car park had been used to accommodate a Winter Games tent in previous years, with users of the car park provided with alternative parking in the Man St car park.
Another event which could make its premiere this year - or next year - is an "urban downhill', starting in upper Queenstown Hill and, avoiding roads where possible, making its way downtown.
Designed to feature steps, small jumps and other obstacles, the urban downhill's inclusion in this year's schedule depends on getting landowner permission for the "detours" away from streets.
Also in the pipeline is a criterium lap-race on a 750m circuit in the Remarkables Park shopping centre, an event on the new Outside Sports Pump Track on Brecon St and a cyclo-cross race similar to the New Zealand championships held last July.
While Mr Hunt was keen to make the events happen this year, he said his team had to be careful not to over-commit to too many new events.
"We want to add one new event each year - we don't want to jump too far and get in over our heads."
With 1500 to 2000 people in town for last year's festival, he thought the number could well be nearer 3000 this year, based on a projected 1500 competitors all bringing a companion.
He predicted spots in the six-hour Super D endurance race would "sell out", with particular enthusiasm being shown by Wellington bikers because of the introduction of cheap Jetstar flights to the resort.
With the first downhill round of the NZ Mountain Bike Cup in recent weeks attracting more than 150 competitors to Queenstown, Mr Hunt thought the Dirtmasters downhill could double its field this year to draw similar numbers.
Subject to change, the festival will begin on March 30, running through to April 9.
