Summer music festivals: Organisers reveal Covid-19 contingency plans

Running a safe event is the highest priority for those organising Rhythm and Vines. Photo / File

New Zealand's biggest summer music festivals will not be able to go ahead if the Covid-19 alert level is higher than 1.

The organisers of Rhythm and Vines (R&V) and Northern Bass say they will not be able to run if there is community transmission of the virus.

However both festivals have contingency plans in place.

Northern Bass festival director Garth Popham says if an outbreak occurs before the event, they have plans in place to postpone until later in summer.

"We don't anticipate that Northern Bass will be cancelled," Popham says.

R&V will not follow the lead of the Rotorua Marathon and ban certain parts of the country from attending if their alert levels are higher than others.

People who are unwell are being asked to stay away from Rhythm and Vines. Photo / File

Should the Gisborne music festival be rescheduled to a later date, ticket holders will be allowed to use tickets for the delayed show.

However, if it is cancelled, ticket holders will be given the option to rollover their tickets for the next festival, according to the event's refund policy.

The policy also says the option for full refunds will be made available at the point of purchase to the credit card which purchased the tickets.

The three-day music festival runs from December 29 to 31. The Auckland star Benee is headlining this year's event.

R & V marketing and partnerships director Kyle Bell says the festival won't go ahead unless the nation is at level 1.

"We will constantly evaluate conditions right up into event," Bell said. "Level 2 is limited to 100 persons so definitely [it] couldn't go ahead at level 2.

"Similar to people heading into a supermarket, we will be requesting people who are unwell to not attend the festival."

No more than 100 people are able to go to social gatherings at level 2, including weddings, birthdays, funerals and tangihanga.

At alert level 3, only 10 people can attend weddings, funerals, and tangihanga, with all public venues required by law to close.

St John will be on hand at R&V to help anyone who falls unwell, with Northern Bass to have a special area dedicated for anyone who presents symptoms.

Rhythm and Vines' organisers say the event won't be able to go ahead at an alert level higher than 1. Photo / File

Around 23,000 tickets have been sold for the event, with each ticket having the purchasers name, on it which has to match their ID on entry.

Bell says they have the emails and phone numbers for all attendees should they need to be contacted.

Northern Bass will be using the Covid tracer app, and will also have a ticket system which will know who enters and leaves the festival.

There will be signage at the gate about health and safety, with an email to go out before the event with all the information too, Popham says.

Both festivals will provide free hand sanitiser for festival-goers.

Popham says anyone who is concerned about attending the virus amid the pandemic should think about selling their tickets.

The Mangawhai-based festival has sold out with more than 2000 people on a waiting list. The show runs between December 29 and 31.

"If people couldn't make the new date they could easily sell their ticket to someone on the waiting list through our secure ticket transfer system via Ticketfairy."

Bell's message for R&V was similar.

"If you don't feel comfortable attending the festival, we encourage you to list your ticket for resale as we currently have a large waitlist of people wanting to attend.

"However, Rhythm and Vines is a large spacious festival site and will be one of the safest places to celebrate New Years."