Organisers of the EarthTonz music festival, set in the Gibbston Valley Winery, said nine international acts as well as one New Zealand act would be taking the stage on December 31, for 15 hours of music complete with "an unbelievable light show".
Aimed at the 18-35 age-group, American promoter Dan Allen said EarthTonz would bring exclusive performances from "some of the world's best" electronica, techno, drum'n'bass, dubstep, progressive house and hip-hop acts.
The full EarthTonz line-up will be released next Thursday, and Mr Allen said it was the first time many of the acts - who would be well known to fans of the genres - will have performed in New Zealand.
"We really feel like we are appealing to the youth market down there ... There's quite a lot of backpackers and young people down there, but there's nothing for them to come together and have a really great time and party, so we are going to give it to them," Mr Allen said.
"There's nothing wrong with the North Island festivals, but let's face it, it's the same-old, same-old."
Backing on to Kawarau River, the event will be held across the road from where the Gibbston Valley Winery Concert was held in March, with on-site camping available from December 30.
The R18 festival was the result of partnership which began in March between Mr Allen's company, GMS Group Inc, and Queenstown's Amanda Calvert, also director of Alpine Entertainment, the same company that hosted Creedence Clearwater Revival and Dr Hook in March.
After the success of the Gibbston Valley winery concert, Mrs Calvert said she was delighted to be involved with the festival alongside Mr Allen.
"A combination of his contacts and experience along with my local knowledge and expertise, allows us to bring Queenstown and the South Island a truly international line-up of artists ... We will again be using local businesses and suppliers to assist us with putting on this event and showcase the region as the place to be to celebrate the new year," Mrs Calvert said.
Mr Allen said given the "incredibly beautiful" setting of the festival, they would place an emphasis on recycling and keeping the environment pristine to "look after Mother Nature and Mother Queenstown".
Depending on how successful this year's festival is, he said EarthTonz may return next year as a two-day event.
Ticket prices and further information will be released next week.
