Hitting the festivals this summer? Here’s what you need to know

Music festivals are one of the highlights of summer in Aotearoa. It’s an amazing feeling to be surrounded by thousands of people who all love music just as much as you do.

Like non-disabled festival-goers, the most important thing is to have a good time with the people you are there with. Your company can really make or break a festival experience, so be sure to pick some good peeps to take along. I usually go with the same group of friends who are all massive music fans, and happy to help me with anything I need help with. I’ve had both good and bad experiences at festivals, so here are a few quick tips for the best experience. 

The first is to make a plan. This involves figuring out which artists you are going to see, when they are playing and on which stage. Knowing all this in advance means your day will be much more organised and you can make sure the distances between stages aren’t too far. Arriving early is another power move. Getting there while the festival is still largely empty means you can grab a beer, eat and comfortably get ready for the day ahead. 

Also, head to the bathroom first. I won’t go into this too deeply but just do it - trust me. Queues for the bathroom at festivals can be nightmares and getting it out of the way will make the rest of your day so much better. 

Be friendly and open to everyone you meet. Lots of people go to festivals to make new friends, as everyone is there to enjoy the same music, so greeting people with warmth and friendliness will make your festival experience so much better, both for you and the people you are with. 

Doing your research in advance about each festival is also handy, so I contacted a few of the main summer festivals to get the lowdown on what they’re doing to make their event more accessible. So which festivals in New Zealand are the most accessible?

RHYTHM AND VINES, Gisbourne: 29-31 December

The lineup at Rhythm And Vines this year features Sir Dave Dobbyn, Ice Spice and Peking Duk. Rhythm And Vines has accessible toilets and paths between stages for wheelchairs. There are also platforms for wheelchairs at both stages, and mobility parks available on application, so make sure to apply for a parking space while you are buying your festival ticket. 

HOMEGROWN, Wellington: 14-15 March 

Homegrown features the best Kiwi artists, with different stages for each genre. There is wheelchair access at every stage and disabled toilets in every area. The festival encourages disabled festival-goers to get in touch if they encounter issues with accessibility. Next year’s Homegrown will see Shihad perform for the last time ever, along with Shapeshifter, Alien Weaponry and Stan Walker. 

SOUNDSPLASH, Raglan: 17-19 January 

Soundsplash is the only festival on this list I have actually been to. I have great memories of seeing artists like Dylan Frost from Sticky Fingers, who performed with sparks shooting six feet into the air in front of him, and Tiki Taane, who I have been a fan of since I was a kid. Unlike the other festivals I have mentioned, this festival is R16 instead of R18, which makes it a great one for high school students to go to with their mates. The lineup next year includes Savage, Mitch James and Katchafire. Unfortunately, the entrance is an accessibility nightmare and involves going up a flight of stairs, across a bridge, and down another flight of stairs. This makes it impossible for a wheelchair, but when I went, security let me mosey on through under the bridge. However, Soundsplash does have a smaller festival ground, which makes getting around easier. 

LANEWAY, Auckland: 6 February 

Laneway is a touring festival across Australia and New Zealand, with a stop in Auckland next year at Western Springs Stadium on Waitangi Day. Some big names have played Laneway over the years, with Charli XCX headlining next year’s festival. The site of Laneway is wheelchair accessible, but there are a few different surfaces such as grass, gravel and cobblestone which wheelchairs will have to navigate. The site can also be sloped in some places. All stages are wheelchair accessible and accessible toilets are on-site 

SPLORE, Tāpapakanga Regional Park: 2026 

Splore is not happening again until 2026, but it’s a family-friendly festival in Auckland that takes place in Tāpapakanga Regional Park. There are accessible toilets all over the site and the festival also has accessible campsites. A unique feature of this festival is that complimentary companion tickets are available for caregivers of disabled festival-goers.

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