Plenty to see at New Plymouth's TSB Festival of Lights

The giant trumpet flowers will play music at the touch of a button.

More than 50 live acts, 24 Summer Scene kids' events, 14 new light features, eight activities for Summer Seniors, four bands for the Powerco Lights Up the Night New Year's Eve celebration and one Woofstock party for pooches – this season's TSB Festival of Lights is a record breaker.

Located in Pukekura Park, the lights come on every night from 8.30pm to 11pm, rain or shine, until February 1.

An estimated 125,000 will attend, with thousands coming from outside of the New Plymouth District just to visit the festival. It brings an estimated $5 million in value to the economy each season.

"There are 14 new light features – a new record for the festival – and visitors will be dazzled, delighted and entertained," says NDPC Recreation and Culture Manager Teresa Turner.

"We're also thrilled to be bringing five displays to our festival this year which have been showcased at the international light show, Vivid Sydney.

"The NPDC team has done an absolutely fabulous job in bringing new and highly original displays to our stunning Pukekura Park. There's also something for everyone to enjoy with Summer Scene for kids, Summer Seniors and the return of the New Year's Eve celebration while Woofstock will be great fun for dog owners."

Among the new light features this year is the Regal Peacock spreading his brightly-coloured, illuminated feathers. The display features sound and movement as well as the light animations.

Another display likely to be popular is Trumpet Flowers. These giant flowers will dwarf you as you walk around, pressing buttons to make your own music.

Trilogy Trilogy lets you use your hands to draw with light. Featuring three light pillars, you and your friends can create your own visual masterpieces.

Droplet Droplet is a light drawing of microscopic organisms, suspended within a droplet of water.

Bridge of Rock will appeal to the music lovers who can rock out on Poet's Bridge. Catchy riffs and melodies combine with an epic light show to create something rock-tacular.

What's on:
Summer Scene Kids: Load your summer holidays with daytime events that inspire, entertain and excite kids from five to 12. A highlight is Splash Fest – a week of pool parties around Taranaki including Waitara, Inglewood, Okato and Todd Energy Aquatic Centre.

Summer Seniors: The programme for seniors has become a mainstay of the festival and this year has rock'n'roll at the Bowl, Tai Chi, a brass band, art in the park and the chance to learn creative floral design.

New Year's Eve: The Powerco Lights Up The Night event features silent discos, food trucks and four live bands including headline act Racing. It will be an epic New Year's Eve with Pukekura Park the place to be for friends and family to see in 2020.

Woofstock: Pooches are invited to the park on January 18 for the first ever Woofstock. This daytime event will have dogs dressed up in 60s outfits and there will be prizes for best-dressed dog as well as Pilates for Paws and Parkour.

The Festival Hub Light Bites went down a treat last year and returns with food trucks in the Festival Hub. Also in the Hub will be VR experiences thanks to TSB, a rock'n'roll pop-up, a roller disco pop-up and free wifi thanks to Primo.

Entertainment: From December 26 to January 19 more than 50 home-grown, Kiwi and international acts will entertain festival-goers at the Hatchery and Fred Parker lawns. See the event programme or head to festivaloflights.nz for all the details.