The 42nd Queenstown Winter Festival will go off with a bang this evening when an estimated 10,000 people cram into the resort's waterfront for a fireworks display.
Festival director Lisa Buckingham said she expected about 45,000 people to attend festival events during its 10-day duration.
The first official event today was a business lunch at Skyline Queenstown featuring a speech by Government minister Nikki Kaye.
But the biggest drawcard will be the opening party, which starts at Earnslaw Park at 5.30pm.
Dunedin band Kafka Collective, Shane Cortese and Red Band will warm up the crowd before the fuse is lit for the fireworks display at 7pm.
Unlike last year, when a weather bomb brought snow to the Wakatipu on the day before the festival's opening, the white stuff is thin on the ground.
As reported in yesterday's Otago Daily Times, the lack of snow cover has forced the temporary closure of Coronet Peak ski area.
There was no indication yesterday the mountain would reopen on Saturday as had been hoped. No snow is forecast until Sunday.
Three festival events scheduled for Coronet Peak have been relocated to The Remarkables skifield.
But Ms Buckingham is looking on the bright side, saying the change of venue would make for a novel experience for those participating in the Mountain Bikes on Snow (tomorrow), Skin to the Summit (Sunday) and Dog Derby (Thursday) events.
"That's the beauty of Queenstown, we've got two skifields on our doorstep.''
Fortunately, the unseasonably warm weather will not affect the temporary "Winter Wonder-land'' ice rink that has been installed over Horne Creek in the resort's Village Green.
The contractor in charge, Peter Lynch, said the rink had its own refrigeration unit, ensuring a perfect surface for skating regardless of the air temperature.
Pyrotechnics expert Bill Falcone said the weather forecast was looking "beautiful'' for this evening's fireworks display.
Mr Falcone said he had spent a week preparing for the show, with much of the work taking place on a barge across the lake at Cecil Peak Station.
He would be assisted this evening by 15 volunteers, including fellow volunteer firefighters from the Queenstown and Frankton brigades, who would maintain a safety exclusion zone.
He hinted at a surprise near the beginning of the 10-minute display, recommending those watching to "keep an eye on the water''.
The Queenstown Winter Festival will run until July 3.
What's on . . .
Today
Noon: Business Lunch, Skyline Queenstown
5.30pm: Opening Party and Fireworks, Earnslaw Park (fireworks 7pm)
Tomorrow
11am: Mountain Bikes on Snow, The Remarkables Skifield
Noon: Street Parade, Streets of Queenstown
6.50pm: Ice Hockey (Stampede vs West Auckland Admirals), Queenstown Ice Arena
7.30pm: Comedy Debate, Queenstown Events Centre
