Top 10 festivals this summer

People dance while 'The XX' perform at the Laneway Festival held at the Britomart earlier this year. Photo / NZ Herald

LIVE AT THE ISLANDS

Where & when: Urupukapuka Island, Bay of Islands, Dec 28, Nathan Haines, Kirsten Morrell; Dec 31, New Year's Eve Pirate Party with the Dirty Dozen; Jan 3, Jordan Luck Band, Autozamm; Jan 5, Anika Moa, Don McGlashan; Jan 7, Salmonella DJ Soundsystem, Minuit; Jan 22, Topp Twins.

Where & when: Motutapu Island, Auckland, Feb 12, with Anika Moa, Nathan Haines, Kirsten Morrell, the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, the Earlybirds, Salmonella DJ Soundsystem, Lisa Crawley, and more to be announced.

What: Concerts for conservation
Tickets: From ticketmaster.co.nz
More info: arkpresents.co.nz or doc.govt.nz

RHYTHM AND VINES

When: Dec 29-Dec 31
Where: Waiohika Estate, Gisborne
What: Get away, have a ball, and party

Line-up: N.E.R.D., Shihad, Flying Lotus, Chromeo, Carl Cox, Hudson Mohawke, the Naked and Famous, Dragon, Tinie Tempah, Gaslamp Killer, Bulletproof, Hollie Smith, P-Money, Barb, and more.

Tickets: $235 from rhythmandvines.co.nz
More info: rhythmandvines.co.nz

LA DE DA

When: Dec 31
Where: Alana Wine Estate, Martinborough.
What: It's sold out so watch out for Wellingtonians on the loose

Line up: Kora, Katchafire, Hollie Smith, Salmonella Dub, Minuit, Six 60, the Upbeats, 1814, Mt Eden Dubstep, Thomas Oliver Band. Plus, on Dec 30 at Lullaby Lane, next door to the festival grounds see the Naked & Famous, Kids of 88, Kidz in Space, Computers Want Me Dead, Zowie and the Heavy Metal Ninjas.

Tickets: Sold out, VIP tickets still available from ladeda.co.nz
More info: ladeda.co.nz

BIG DAY OUT

When: Jan 21
Where: Mt Smart Stadium
What: Still the big daddy of local festivals

Line-up: Tool, Rammstein, Iggy and the Stooges, MIA, Grinderman, the Black Keys, Jim Jones Revue, Crystal Castles, CSS, the Naked and Famous, Deftones, Primal Scream, LCD Soundsystem, Plan B, Andrew WK, Kids of 88, the Green Hornes, Die!Die!Die!, Shihad, Street Chant, the Phoenix Foundation, Bulletproof, and more.

Tickets: $150 (plus booking fee) at bigdayout.com
More info: bigdayout.com

LANEWAY FESTIVAL

When: January 31
Where: Aotea Square, Auckland
What: Indie cool kids of Aotearoa unite. This is your national day.

Line-up: Deerhunter, Warpaint, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, !!!, An Emerald City, Beach House, Blonde Redhead, Children's Hour, Foals, Holy F***, Ladyhawke, Lawrence Arabia, Yeasayer

Tickets: $105 at lanewayfestival.com.au
More info: lanewayfestival.com.au

RAGGAMUFFIN

When: Feb 5
Where: Rotorua International Stadium
What: Roots, reggae, and a little bit of R&B, hip-hop, and soul

Line-up: Mary J. Blige, Jimmy Cliff, Maxi Priest, Sean Paul, the Original Wailers, Ky-Mani Marley, Che Fu and the Kratez, Nesian Mystik, 1814, and Sons of Zion

Tickets: $111.51 (plus other options) at Ticketmaster
More info: raggamuffin.co.nz


SPLORE-CITY

When: Feb 11-12
Where: Aotea Square, Auckland
What: The seaside festival goes urban

Line-up: Kelis, Fly My Pretties, Caribou, Fourtet, Mayer Hawthorne, Coast, Empress Star, Belleruche, the Cuban Brothers, and more

Tickets: $95-$170 at the-edge.co.nz
More info: splore.net

HOMEGROWN

When: March 5
Where: Wellington waterfront
What: The biggest and best local line-up of the year

Line-up: Blindspott, Shapeshifter, I Am Giant, TrinityRoots, the feelers, Tiki & the Dub Soldiers, Midnight Youth, Six60, Elemeno P, Katchafire, Black River Drive, Salmonella Dub, Cairo Knife Fight, Sunshine Soundsystem, the Checks, the Upbeats, Kids of 88, State of Mind Live, Ivy Lies, Optimus Gryme, Motocade, Dick Johnson, Supermodel, Tim Phin, Dane Rumble, Maya and Vanya, J Williams, Savage Vs. Scribe, Brazilbeat Sound System, Nesian Mystik, Jayson Norris, PNC, the Phoenix Foundation, Kidz in Space, the Clean, Coco Solid, Die! Die! Die!, Tommy ILL, the Ruby Suns, DJ Logikal, Artisan Guns, Lotion, Family Cactus

Tickets: $95 at Ticketek
More info: homegrown.net.nz

WOMAD

When: 18-20 March
Where: Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth
What: The world comes to us. Fire pois optional

Line-up: Amadou and Mariam, Afro Celt Soundsystem, Don Letts, Luka Bloom, Nitin Sawhney, TrinityRoots, Sola Rosa, The Creole Choir of Cuba, Juan De Marcos Afro Cuban All-Stars, Calypso Rose, Horace Andy, and many more

Tickets: $65-$229 at ticketek.co.nz
More info: womad.co.nz


GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL

When: April 23-24
Where: Puhinui Reserve, Manukau
What: Singing the blues and praying for a long hot Indian summer

Line-up: B.B. King, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Eric Bibb, Paul Ubana Jones , Ruthie Foster, Cairo Knife Fight, Ticket, Don McGlashan, Sola Rosa and more to be announced.

Tickets: $117.50-$299 at grassrootsfestival.co.nz
More info: grassrootsfestival.co.nz

-TimeOut