South Island music festival Rhythm and Alps set to rock New Year's in orange light

Rhythm and Alps in Wanaka, promoted as the South Island's biggest New Year's festival, will be bucking the trend for large events and going ahead this year.

Events around the country such as the popular Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne have either been cancelled or postponed due to the difficulties in checking vaccine certificates.

However the organisers of the three-day music and camping festival in the Cardrona Valley said they have found a way.

It involved punters integrating their vaccine certificates with their festival tickets online.

Staff checking their tickets at the gate would be able to see straight away if festivalgoers had received both their vaccinations.

Organisers said with Queenstown and Wanaka sitting at 95 per cent double vaccinated, they were confident they would be able to put on a safe party for the 10,000 expected to attend.

They said 40 per cent of attendees came from outside the region, which provided a boost to the local economy.