The ban, which makes it illegal to drink alcohol in the Queenstown CBD, on the Lake Wakatipu foreshore from the One Mile roundabout to Park St, the Queenstown Gardens and the Queenstown Rec Ground, will last until Monday at 8am.
Crate Day, an unofficial event in which participants consume a crate of beer during the first Saturday of summer, has been held for several years.
Last year, police noticed a significant rise in the number of people congregating in public spaces in the resort.
One of the main problem areas was the Village Green, where about 300 people had gathered by the Saturday evening.
At the time, Otago Central Area Commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said additional police resources were called in from Alexandra, but no arrests were made. There was also no liquor ban in place for police to enforce.
A report to a September council meeting seeking the alcohol ban for this year said Queenstown police had been re-rostered for the weekend to ensure there was sufficient capacity to deal with "potentially large numbers of intoxicated persons occupying the town centre".
Additional resources had been commissioned from Invercargill and throughout Otago for the weekend.
Constable Simon Matheson, of Queenstown, said police were gearing up for a busy weekend — Crate Day coincides with the third annual Rugby League Nines tournament in the resort on Saturday, while the Cromwell Races will be held on Sunday.
Const Matheson said the increased police presence was not about "stopping people from enjoying a beer with their mates".
"We want you to have fun, while keeping yourself and others safe.
"Excessive drinking can affect your decision-making, increasing your risk of becoming an offender or a victim, or ending up in hospital.
"It’s important that everyone takes responsibility for keeping themselves safe," he said.
For those hosting a Crate Day event, he said people should supervise the party and make sure there was enough food and non-alcoholic drinks available and think about how guests would get home.
"And remember, you can’t supply minors with alcohol unless you have the permission of their parent or legal guardian."
Anyone found breaching the temporary liquor ban over the weekend in Queenstown could be fined $250.
