Situated in the beautiful New Zealand town of Waihi in the stunning Coromandel, Gold Rush Festival welcomed drum and bass and house heavyweights for over 8 hours, of madness across 2 stages. A brand new festival for 2022 it definitely had some kinks that needed to iron out before I could confidently recommend it to friends, however with sunshine, drinks and music… it’s still a fun-filled way to celebrate a new year! Thinking of going next year? Here are my 8 tips for Gold Rush Festival which I would recommend!

My Gold Rush Festival 8 Top Tips

TIP #1: Take a water bottle

Taking the right things for a Day Festival in New Zealand is essential! Waihi this year was 30+ degrees and so taking a water bottle to Gold Rush Festival is a must. They did have cups available should you not bring a bottle, but to save having to queue each time you wanted a water, I would recommend taking a plastic water bottle which you can refill. They did sell water in bottles which could then be refilled, but to avoid overspending at the festival, I would always take my own!

TIP #2: Wear a hat & sun cream

This goes with my point above. It was EXTREMLEY hot at Gold Rush Festival this year, and with very little shade, a hat and sun cream are a must! I saw a lot of very sun burnt festi-goers at Gold Rush that were all huddled around the edges of the festival site, trying to sit in the tiny patches of shade available.

TIP #3: Pre-drink!

Queues for drinks were horrific! With only two bars catering for the whole festival and everyone only being able to buy 2 or even 1 drink each time, you will want to make sure you are not arriving sober and have pre drunk a little! After buying our 2 drinks we were quickly ushered out of the bar area, and then within 30 mins would have to rejoin the queue again which took a MINIMUM of 20 mins! Later in the day the lines were shorter – but in peak sun, they were A NIGHTMARE!

TIP #4: Leave slightly early

Leaving a festival is always a little chaotic. Thousands of people all leaving together means that transport and exits are overloaded with people. Unless you have pre-arranged transport with a set time, I always recommend leaving slightly before the end if you are getting public transport. This way you get on one of the first busses and get out of the festival mayhem before the masses descend into the bus queues.

TIP #5: Use the busses

In saying that, use the busses Gold Rush provide. We got the bus from Waihi Beach to the festival and it was pretty quick, well organized and easy. I would say it was a little expensive given the length of the journey, but it was a fuss-free and eco-friendly festival transport option for a larger group!

TIP #6: Don’t rely on phone signal

Phone signal is patchy at best at a festival as we all know – Gold Rush was no exception. With huge numbers of people close together in a small town, phone signal wasn’t great. I would recommend agreeing a meeting point or an area you will base yourself in so that you can easily reunite and find group members during the festival.

TIP #7: Be prepared for dust

Due to the high temperatures and lack of rain, Waihi was very dry and the festival site was incredibly dusty. I would take some wet wipes or tissues so that you can wipe your face and blow your nose regularly to stop that yucky dusty nose feeling! Also be aware that dusty ground can ruin your clothes and shoes. Don’t wear anything that is not easily washable and be prepared for clothes and shoes to leave a different colour to what you arrived in!

TIP #8: Wear comfy shoes

There was little to no seating provided by the festival, which meant that there was a lot of standing. Of course sitting on the floor is an option, but in the heat with no shade, it wasn’t a particularly inviting prospect. I always recommend you wear comfy shoes to any festival as standing and dancing with blisters can ruin your whole festival experience!

Want to see what Goldrush was like?
>> Watch my Gold Rush Festival Video Here <<

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Sophie

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