About 14cm of fresh snow landed at the Queenstown skifield in the last 24 hours, after 5-10cm fell yesterday, taking the snow base up to between 110 and 141cm.
The festival started with as free ski, followed by a weekend full of events and information sessions.
Double-Paralympic gold medallist Adam Hall, who suffered from the birth defect spina bifida, has been asked to help launch the festival.
Mr Hall is a celebrated Paralympian who has attended four Paralympic Winter Games.
He won his two gold medals competing in slalom events.
The festival, which moved to Queenstown from Cardrona, will end with a fun-filled team race and a prizegiving ceremony at the cafe in the skifield's base building at 2pm on Sunday.
About 5cm of fresh snow also landed at Queenstown's Coronet Peak skifield over the last 24 hours, taking the snow base up to 50-100cm.
More snow has been forecast for the weekend.
- additional reporting by Daisy Hudson
