Instead of being engulfed with FOMO by those out of town and forced to witness a shopworn covers band regurgitate another version of 'Why Does Love', this New Year's Eve the people of Auckland will have a brand new festival to celebrate the beginning of 2017.

The inaugural Wondergarden festival will take place at harbour side community space Silo Park on December 31, welcoming punters of all ages. The family-friendly event is also set to be an intimate one with a strictly limited capacity of 2000.

Kicking off from 2pm and finishing after midnight, the event will feature an all-local musical lineup, featuring an eclectic genre palette of pop, rock, indie, alternative, folk, soul and dance. As well as a musical component, Wondergarden will also feature roaming performers, a dedicated family zone with children's entertainment, site theming and lighting installations from Angus Muir Design, licensed bars and street food.

The full artist lineup will be announced on September 8, 2016. Visit wondergarden.co.nz for more information.

Published on August 29, 2016 by Stephen Heard