The Country's Biggest Winter Festival Has Announced Its Jam-Packed 2019 Lineup

The festival known for encouraging mountain adventures with canines and rocking undergarments in sub-zero temperatures is back for its 45th year. The 2019 Real Journeys Queenstown Winter Festival is the country's biggest winter festival and this year it returns to the picturesque lakeside village from 20-23 June.

In line with the Māori new year, a traditional powhiri greeting and fleet of waka ama will kick off the four-day festival on Thursday, 20 June. It will follow a guided torchlight procession through the streets of Queenstown and performances from Trinity Roots and Ladi6.

The festival stage, this year set against the backdrop of Lake Wakatipu, will host a 100 percent New Zealand music lineup, rounding up popular and rising artists including Mitch James, L.A.B., Richter City Rebels. Music venues Memorial Centre and The Sherwood Hotel will host further acts including Adam McGrath, Soaked Oats, Flowidus and Hot Dub Time Machine, while the Queenstown instalment of Audiology's Mardi Gras will feature London electro duo Chase and Status.

Cardrona Alpine Resort will once again serve as the festival's host mountain for 2019. The mountain village experience will include crowd-pleasing events like the dog derby and dog barking contest. Festival-goers can also take part in tug o' war on skis, snow tubing, snow cycling or complete a recreational loop of the ski-field in Tour de Cardies.

For those who prefer a different kind of adrenaline rush, the Day on the Bay will return with wharf jumping contest, AJ Hackett Birdman, seeing participants launch themselves into Lake Wakatipu. The JUCY Undy 500 will see brave souls tackle an obstacle course and sprint through ice-cold water in nothing but underwear, and the Splash for Cash is an old fashioned swimming race.

After dark, the program will continue with live comedy, the SkyCity Ball, and the always popular Friday night fireworks display.

Don't miss NZ's biggest winter festival, check out the full lineup and snag tickets at winterfestival.co.nz.