Cheap drinks at Rhythm and Vines campsites have sparked a wave of comments from concert-goers on social media, with many predicting things are going to get "messy''.
But organisers say setting up campsite bars is a "major step'' to curb excessive drinking.
A number of RTD drinks, including Smirnoff Ice, Canadian Club and Jim Beam mixes, will be available at campsite bars for just $3 this year. The prices will go up to $6 at the festival.
The measures come as an answer to curb intoxicated campsite antics, after riots broke out among festival-goers at BW campgrounds on New Year's Eve in 2014, ending in 63 arrests and more than 80 people injured.
Drunken mobs pelted cans at police, overturned vehicles and lit fires during a large-scale disorder at two campgrounds used for the BW Summer Festival.
The campgrounds have now come under Rhythm and Vines management, with organisers banning BYO alcohol at the Treble, Lakeside and Beachfront sites, opting to set up camp bars in their place.
The campsite and festival bar prices were announced on the Rhythm and Vines Instagram page on Tuesday, with campers responding they would have to pre-load.
On the campsite price post, hannah_van said: "I saw this today @thomas_shaw_ lost my mindddd! It's gonna get messy.''
While ellaproude said: "drinks on me''.
Fayaneta agreed: "Holy s*** those prices are cheap as! They need to have those prices at the actual festival.''
Lydiawatene said there was now a solution to hefty drink prices at the festival itself, telling people: "It's all good, just get f***ed up at the camp.''
But chief executive Kieran Spillane said it was a chance for organisers to keep an eye on the amount campers were drinking.
In the past campers had been allowed complete BYO at campsites but now they would only be able to consume alcohol in the specific bar areas, he said.
"The last thing we're trying to do is say the beers are cheap and encourage excessive drinking, it's actually the opposite effect.
"In the previous model they could consume as much as they want in an uncontrolled environment.
"We did think long and hard about our pricing ... we just needed to make sure alcohol was still affordable, it is significantly dearer than buying it in an off-licence. It's not really about the price, it's about how we control how they consume it.''
Mr Spillane said over the last 12 years there had been five arrests at the Rhythm and Vines campgrounds, something the safety-conscious organisers were "extremely proud of''.
Organisers worked closely with the local authorities and police in their attempt to reduce the harm at the campsites and event itself, he said.
It had also changed its structure to become more of a mid-afternoon to evening festival instead of a late-night party, partly to reduce the ``pre-loading factor''.
"We looked on in dismay at the incident that did happen at the BW campgrounds. You have to take recognition of what's gone on and the potential risk factor that could be impacting on this year.
"There's always a concern. I think it would be remiss of us not to recognise the risk but certainly the steps we've taken, we think, are going a very, very long way into mitigating the risk of an occurrence.''
Previously campers could bring unlimited amounts of alcohol into the BW campsites but now Treble Camp, Lakeside and Beachfront are strictly alcohol free, unless it is purchased from one of the camp's bars.
People staying at the onsite Mid or Bass camps are allowed to bring in a once-off limit of either 24 cans of beer or RTDs or three litres of wine during their stay.
Police said last year's riots were "fuelled by alcohol'' and it was lucky no one had lost their life.
Tairawhiti area commander Inspector Sam Aberahama told the Herald at the time was an "extremely high'' level of intoxication and "mob mentality'' among the people rioting.
Previous attempts to oppose the BW festival's BYO licence had been unsuccessful, police said.
Alcohol Drug Association NZ chief executive Paul Rout warned the cheap drink prices would increase the risk of intoxicated people causing trouble at the event.
"There's a direct link between the price of alcohol and how much people drink,'' Mr Rout said.
"Because of the history of the event, there's a real need for organisers to look at ways of changing the culture and expectation of people who attend. If they're to be good hosts, then obviously cheap alcohol is contrary to that.''
A consistent price between drink prices at the campsite and festival would also be a more responsible choice, Mr Rout said.
"If you're offering cheap drinks then people are likely to pre-load by drinking large amounts of the cheap alcohol before they move to where the more expensive drinks are.''
"Really, the focus should be on providing lots of alternative drinks, alcohol-free drinks, and food.''
* Rhythm and Vines runs from December 29-31
* Australian musicians Angus and Julia Stone are headlining the concert, with David Dallas, Dave Dobyn, Hollie Smith, Jupiter Project, P Money, Scribe
Pendulum DJ set, Nero DJ set also performing.
