More than 10,000 people boogied and rocked in Earnslaw Park to mark the opening of the 41st Queenstown Winter Festival last night.
Crowds lined the lakefront and the streets to enjoy the musical acts that featured in the opening concert festivities.
The tone of the evening was set by family band the Hamiltones, with songs like Happy and Play That Funky Music.
They were followed by the Global Street Band, introduced by Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison, who said it was the ''world's first global street band''.
The band was created after six artists from six countries won an online competition to create the ''ultimate street band''.
After meeting only last Friday, Katie Ferrara and Andrew Fisher, both from the United States, Gustavo Ruedas, of Colombia, Borja Catanesi, of Spain, Toby Jacobs, of Belgium, and Wojtek Gasiorowski, of Poland, came together and performed individual pieces, as well as two original songs together.
Turning out for the biggest crowd-pleaser of the night was Prime Minister John Key and Queenstown Mayor Vanessa van Uden, who together counted down the massive fireworks display over Lake Wakatipu.
The explosions heralded the best-known musicians of the night - Margaret Urlich, Annie Crummer and Debbie Harwood, who made up part of When the Cat's Away.
The night was also a special occasion for recently married couple, Jenna and Corey Cameron, of Australia, honeymooning in Queenstown.
Mrs Cameron said it was the first time they had been to the festival and described the music and opening celebrations as ''awesome''.
Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of the Southern Police District Command, said there had been ''no issues'' in the CBD following the opening party.
More than 45,000 people were expected to attend the 10-day event.
WHAT'S ON
• Today: Winter Wonderland Icerink, Village Green, from 10am
Mountain Bikes on Snow, Coronet Peak, 11am
Golden Mile, CBD, noon
Festival Street Parade, noon
Frisbee Golf, Queenstown Gardens, 12.30pm
Acoustic night, Earnslaw Park, 5pm
Ice Hockey, Queenstown Ice Arena, 7pm
Comedy debate, Queenstown Event Centre, 8pm
• Tomorrow: Skin to Summit race, Coronet Peak, 7am
Winter Wonderland Icerink, Village Green, from 10am
Day on the Bay, Queenstown Bay, noon
Open mic night, Earnslaw Park, 5pm
Ice Hockey, Queenstown Ice Arena, 7pm
