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A long-running underground music festival says next year’s event will likely be its last unless its financial position dramatically improves.
As rising costs and weaker ticket sales put pressure on smaller grassroots events, Twisted Frequency, a five-day New Year’s festival held in Cobb Valley, Tākaka, announced yesterday thatit may have to close after more than a decade.
Founder and director David Tait said the festival sold around 1,000 fewer tickets this year than last, intensifying the financial strain that had been building for years.
“We have been juggling debt for seven years now, but never at a scale like this,” Tait said.
“Despite our best efforts, sales have taken a massive hit, and the cost of throwing the event has grown in a way that is difficult to describe.”
Twisted marked its 10-year anniversary last summer with a strong turnout, selling nearly 3,500 tickets, but Tait said it was not enough to clear its ongoing IRD debt.
New Year's festival Twisted Frequency has sold about 1000 fewer tickets than last summer's event. Photo / Twisted Frequency Festival
Compounding operational costs have driven ticket prices to $500 this year, and without a significant turnaround in sales or new funding sources, Tait said the festival’s 2026 event will be its final edition.
“It’s fair to say, especially this year, the energy has been basically empty wallets and the solemn knowledge that festivals are a ‘nice-to-have’ and take the last spot on the priority list for many of the people that make up our core demographics,” Tait said.
In interviews published on Twisted Frequency’s website, Tait and the organisers of independent festivals Shipwrecked and Aum criticised the Government’s approach to events funding, arguing it favours large, commercial events over grassroots festivals.
A $10 million Event Boost Fund, announced in September as part of a wider $70m events and tourism package, initially gave hope to struggling festivals, but those like Splore have been unable to secure support.
“Throughout its life, Twisted has yet to receive a single dime or any kind of funding, and that is not for lack of trying,” Tait said.
“It’s gotten to the point where it either needs to be put to rest or we need to find some other way to make it viable for it to continue.”
Sales for Twisted’s 2026 event will start on January 4, the day after this summer’s festival concludes, with attendees able to add an optional koha as part of a fundraising push.
Splore director John Minty said its appeal for funding was declined “despite a comprehensive and what I thought was a very persuasive application”.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allen about the decision, Minty said he could no longer justify the financial risk while hoping the economic conditions would improve.
“They may, or they may not, so I don’t particularly want to take that risk.”
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