The 39th annual festival will open on Friday and organisers expect 25,000 people from out of town to flood the streets.
Media Relations Manager Simone Flight said the programme was packed with new events, including a teenage fright night, a slacklining exhibition, a drive-in movie night, and the return of the Skycity Casino Royale Ball.
On Saturday night, 250 ticket holders will suit up for the sold-out Casino Royale-themed ball at the newly refurbished Queenstown Memorial Centre. Ms Flight said bringing back the ball after one year off was ''bringing back something that was iconic to the festival and big with the locals''.
While the over-18-year-olds mingled in their tuxedoes and cocktail dresses, those under-18 can swim, slide, and be scared out of the water at Alpine Aqualand.
Ms Flight said the idea was to ''provide a safe, fun environment for teenagers'' during the festival.
Fright Night organiser Rachelle Greene said the infamous movie Jaws would play on the big screen while 14-17 year-olds watch from hot pools, use the hydroslide, or just laze about on pool-side beanbags.
''The idea came when we talked to a group of students at Wakatipu High School,'' Ms Greene said.
Also new to the programme was a slacklining event, ''Slack Jam'', run by Slacklife Queenstown on Sunday and Monday afternoons.
Slacklife members are known around town for their impressive antics on a line tied between two trees on Queenstown Bay.
Ms Flight said this event was a chance to show curious out-of-towners what slacklining was, but also a chance for new-comers give it a go. Earlier in the day, Rata Restaurant will host a four-course lunch while owner, Michelin starred chef Josh Emett, and wine-maker Christopher Keys discuss the menu and wine matches.
On Monday, Alpine Health & Fitness will host a dress-up Zumba class at Earnslaw park with prizes for the most enthusiastic, before the sold-out Comedy Gala in the evening.
- Hannah Greenslade-Yeats
