Another sell-out for High Tide festival - this time at Waitangi Park

Tuesday, 11 November 2025

High Tide festival at Waitangi Park, held in the central city for the first time this year.

Under clear blue skies, 8000 people descended onto Waitangi Park on the weekend for another sell-out High Tide festival, marking the start of summer and festival season for many.

The festival was held in central Wellington for the first time this year after three years at Lower Hutt’s McEwan Park.

Featuring local and international artists in drum and bass, house, grime, hip-hop and UK garage genres, the festival has sold out every year since it started in 2022.

Artists played to a sell-out crowd with 8000 people at the event.

The festival, presented by Audiology Touring, Coastal Promotions and George FM, was supported by WellingtonNZ – 80% owned by the Wellington City Council and 20% by the Greater Wellington Regional Council, for the first time this year.

Director of Audiology Touring, Mitch Lowe said the aim was to create a signature festival, and it felt like Wellington was missing an annual electronic event.

But what started as a boutique festival had now become an international event, he said.

The boutique festival has become an international event with artists headlining from the UK, Australia, Belgium and Austria.

International headline artists this year included Luude (Australia), Camo & Krooked (Austria), Basstripper (Belgium), Danny Byrd (UK), Goddard (UK), London Elektricity (UK), Bushbaby (UK), Loods (Australia), and Songer (UK).

Moving to Waitangi Park created the potential to increase the capacity to almost double what it had been before, with this year’s event selling about 2000 more tickets than previous years. It was sold out at 8000 tickets, with more than 20% of ticket holders from outside the Wellington Region.

“It’s got the potential, in two to three years, to be an annual, iconic, [and] the biggest festival in Wellington – that’s the exciting factor. McEwan Park had some limitations, but Waitangi Park has the ability to expand,” Lowe said.

“Apart from the wind, everything else is incredible here on the waterfront.”

The same line-up was performing in multiple cities in Aotearoa but Wellington was the biggest show for the tour, Lowe said.

The festival has become associated with the start of summer for its loyal crowd.

“There’s that loyalty, there’s that cult following, and that’s what I’m most proud of, not all brands get that … High Tide’s got this momentum and I just feel like it’s only going to get bigger.”

This year, there were two stages – the main Tides Stage and Sandbar Stage where the DJ was located on the bridge connecting the waterfront to Waitangi Park and the audience dancing below, creating a multi-level and secluded area for the second stage.

Lowe hoped to be able to expand it to more stages in coming years.

British rapper James Songer is in New Zealand for his fourth time and part of the headling acts this year.

Every year the festival had landed on sunny days, with people now associating it with the start of summer, he said.

Many of the performers would say New Zealand was their favourite place to tour, Lowe said. “It’s not the biggest crowds, but it’s the best vibe, it’s the best people, it’s the best impact – and that’s the part for me that I enjoy, I’ll never get over that.”

James Songer, an English rapper from Reading, said it was his fourth time in Aotearoa. The community and natural landscape kept bringing him back.

Director of Audiology Touring, Mitch Lowe hopes to grow the festival, with the option to expand made possible through its new venue at Waitangi Park.

“The people have always shown me so much love … every time I come over, I get to talk to and play for the community. It just makes me feel super lucky.”

In particular, he liked the harbour and food scene in Wellington – “and the lamb”.

Songer felt his music resonated in a similar way in Aotearoa as it did back home but hearing certain lines being shouted back in a Kiwi accent made him have “a little giggle on stage”.

He said he could be an over-thinker but the time he spent performing on stage was when he had complete peace of mind.

Lowe said it was a tough economy and not all events were successful in the current climate. “But if you make something unmissable, people aren’t gonna miss it.”

Part of the mindset shift and potential for growth was having the Wellington City Council allow its relocation to Waitangi Park.

Mark Oldershaw, chief executive of WellingtonNZ, said the festival’s impressive audience growth, positive feedback and strong engagement with the city’s youth contributed to it being an appealing partnership for the city.

– The author was hosted by WellingtonNZ