GLO Festival kicked off today with the GLO Spot Live event, which saw the top 10 selected buskers from auditions compete for cash prizes and a spot on the GLO Party stage.
The public were the judges and received a voting token on arrival to throw in the hat of their favourite busker.
The busker with the most tokens will be revealed tonight.
The top three will go on to play at the GLO Party on New Year's Eve.
Event manager Tia Smith said it was running smoothly when the
Rotorua Daily Post
caught up with her at the show.
"I'm really stoked, everyone is really enjoying themselves. The scenery is really beautiful and the variety of the performances is exciting."
She said that earlier in the day she had been worried the weather wouldn't be good.
"At about 4pm I looked up and said a little prayer and there was blue sky on the horizon.
"It's a really relaxed atmosphere and because there are nervous buskers around that's nice," she said.
Deirdre Read had come from Whakatane to watch the show.
"My son is playing in it. He plays the trombone. It's really nice, I like the music, it's quite relaxing."
She said she would be back for New Year's Eve if her son got through to play.
Pauline Higgins went down to watch the buskers with her friend.
"We just saw it was on so we came along. It's better than watching TV, it's nice to get outside."
The pair were sitting on one of the couches that the organisers had placed around.
"I like the couch idea, I don't know any of the buskers but it's a nice night out," she said.
Tomorrow people will be able to come together and enjoy the GLO Movies event.
Finding Dory and Hunt for the Wilderpeople will be shown on the big screen under the stars, along with two short films directed and produced by locals from Steam BOP Films.
There will be food available to purchase, but people are also encouraged to bring along their own evening picnic.
On Saturday, the GLO Party will see people dance and party to local and national talent.
There will be food stalls, visual art installations and a fireworks spectacular.
All events are free to attend and alcohol-free. However, people are encouraged to bring a gold coin donation or a non-perishable food item to donate to Love Soup Rotorua.
Rotorua GLO Festival:
GLO Movies: Friday, December 30, 4pm to 8pm, Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake)
Showing times: 3.40pm: OW What, 4pm: Finding Dory, 5.45pm: Ahi Ka, 6pm: Hunt for the Wilderpeople
GLO Party: Saturday, December 31, 6pm start, 9.15pm: Fireworks, 10pm: Party continues, 12am: Fireworks
Tihema Nuttall's sentence will stay the same despite a judge's error.