Music festival The Big Day Out is coming back to Auckland next year at the new venue of Western Springs.
After 18 years, the event was cancelled in Auckland this January Day Out after organisers said it was no longer financially viable to hold the festival in New Zealand because of shipping costs associated with getting stages and artists to the event.
However, today promoter Campbell Smith announced The Big Day Out would be resurrected, spurred by fan demand, support from Auckland Council, and a vision for something new.
"We strongly felt that there was real desire for the event to return to Auckland..
"We became determined that if we could, we should bring it back. We have spent the summer working with the Australian Big Day Out team and American partners, C3, the promoters of other major festivals including Lollapolooza, on a plan to bring the BDO back to life in New Zealand," he said.
But it would be a different event, at the smaller venue of Western Springs, rather than MT Smart Stadium where it was previously held, said Mr Smith.
In January next year Auckland will host an event created specifically for its New Zealand audience that will include a line-up of international and local artists in rock, pop, alternative, hip hop and dance music and more Kiwi art and culture.
The BDO will have connections to its Australian counterpart and links to the past, but will be different, he said.
Mayor Len Brown was delighted The Big Day Out NZ was returning to Auckland.
"Any world class city has a constellation of events to cater for the tastes of all of its residents - young and not so young.
"Returning a Big Day Out to our calendar in 2014 would fill a huge hole and the proposed relocation to Western Springs would bring this significant music and culture event right into the city for residents and the thousands of visitors it draws to Auckland," he said.
