Between 12,000 and 15,000 people are expected to flood into Queenstown to see in the new year on Sunday night.
Queenstown Lakes District Council arts and events facilitator Jan Maxwell said the event would follow the same format as in recent years, with live music on the main stage in Earnslaw Park and a DJ stage beside the Memorial Gate beginning at 7.30pm.
The countdown to midnight would climax with a fireworks display above Queenstown Bay.
Across the hill in Wanaka, entertainment will also begin on the lakefront at 7.30pm.
Police are bringing in an additional 80-plus officers to help deal with the influx of visitors into Queenstown, while an unspecified number of extra officers will be brought into Wanaka to deal with any disorder.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult urged people to drink responsibly.
A liquor ban in Queenstown, Frankton, Arrowtown, Wanaka and Hawea came into effect on Wednesday, and will be enforced until January 6.
Thousands of people poured into Wanaka on Friday, with traffic into the town backing up, long queues at the supermarket and not a park to be found. Many people will be attracted by other New Year’s events on offer.
There are two music festivals - Rhythm & Alps in Cardrona, and Top Paddock at the Lake Hawea Hotel.
Rhythm & Alps began on Friday and director Alex Turnbull expected about 10,000 people to be at the festival on New Year’s Eve.
In Dunedin, thousands were expected to pack into the Octagon for the city’s New Year’s Eve concert.
Dunedin City Council community events co-ordinator Marilyn Anderson said she was keeping one eye on the weather.
Music would start at 8pm with local funk and R&B covers band Dubious Groove before Christchurch band The Easy Hearts took to the stage at 10pm and played until the New Year’s countdown.
The Robbie Burns cannon would be fired at midnight, followed by a fireworks display from the Civic Centre roof and the playing of Auld Lang Syne.
In Central Otago, crowds are expected at venues in Bannockburn, Cromwell, Alexandra and Clyde, where live music and a DJ will be hosted by Olivers and the Dunstan Hotel respectively.
A good crowd usually also gathers in Naseby, mingling in outdoor and indoor areas at the Royal Hotel and Ancient Briton.
Traditionally in Waitaki, the Waitaki Lakes are a hot spot on New Year’s Eve, but this year for the first time in a long time a celebration would be held in Oamaru, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said.
A free family-oriented public celebration in historic Harbour St would be held from 7pm.
With Oamaru becoming more tourist focused and more people in town on New Year’s Eve, it was hoped an "intimate" street party with circus-type acts, face painting, movies, music - and a short fireworks display in King George Park at midnight -would provide an attractive option for those in the area.
Revellers looking for the best weather might have to head inland. MetService forecaster Cameron Coutts said a front moving up the South Island could bring rain and high cloud to most of Otago on Sunday.
Western locales such as Queenstown and Wanaka could see some rain from noon but it would clear by the evening.
Alexandra and other parts of Central Otago could also get some brief rain in the late afternoon or early evening but it would be a mostly clear night.
On the coast high cloud would stick around for most of the day before showers in the afternoon as northerly winds changed to a cooler southerly.
New Year’s Day was looking better for the entire region with temperatures reaching the high 20s inland and the low 20s in coastal areas.
Otago Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer Graeme Still said those wanting to hold their own fireworks display needed to be aware of the fire restrictions in their area.
