The winter solstice has been celebrated in Dunedin with a music festival for more than a decade, and that's not even mentioning Matariki or Puaka celebrations.
This year's dance music celebrations, tonight at the Whare Flat Scout Camp, are being co-ordinated by performer Dan Hendra, who remembers how Dunedin's solstice music parties began.
"It started in the early '90s in Seacliff with a group of punks and then shifted to be run by a group called Eudaemony Tribe, since the mid '90s.
And we are still carrying that tradition on now, including celebrating the equinoxes."
He says this year's celebrations carry on where previous years' left off.
That means dancing outdoors to a range of styles - trance, drum and bass, dubstep, breaks, electro, tribal and ambient.
"The event itself is non-commercial and is run by volunteers, none of whom get paid.
"Basically we do it for the love of it and if anyone has ever been along they'll understand the uniqueness of the event, and hence why we have a following of 300-400 each year coming out in the middle of winter."
He says this weekend will be similar to previous years' events with multiple areas of entertainment, and a special treat for those who make it through the night.
"We are planning an event that is unique to Dunedin. A celebration of the longest night where people are invited to dance, play and be themselves under the stars.
"This event has three zones - one main outdoor zone with dance music, one indoor zone (a large hall) with a heat pump, a fireplace, music, and hot food and coffee, and a tribal zone with a large firepit and a tepee.
"We will also be having performances by stiltwalkers and fire dancers throughout the night, as well as a free morning hangi.
"One of our focuses this year is upon fire and keeping people warm. We will be having numerous fire barrels around the site.
"The ambient zone will be about a tropical 26 degrees."
Nevertheless, Hendra has solid advice for the first-timer.
Dress up with serious weather gear and bring good shoes, tramping boots or gumboots, and a torch, he says.
