Tickets are on sale for the Hokonui Moonshiners Festival.
New Zealand's original boutique whisky festival, staged in Gore's arts and heritage precinct, attracts thousands each year and allows crowds to sample beverages alongside food created by award-winning southern chefs.
The 2009 festival will be held on Saturday, February 21.
Festival co-ordinator Melissa King said the precinct would come alive with southern cuisine, beers, wines and moonshine whisky in an event focused on celebrating Southland's illicit past - the manufacture, sale and consumption of Hokonui moonshine.
Musical convener Mike Hood has recently returned from a "reconnaissance" to Kentucky in the US to see what kind of music is best to accompany such an event.
He said Johnny Possum's Good Time Hootin' Band was the main performing band at the Gore festival while several other acclaimed bluegrass and rockabilly artists were also keen to perform.
"The final entertainment programme won't disappoint. I can almost guarantee there will be some dancing going on in the arts and heritage precinct come Saturday, February 21."
Mrs King ascribed the event's high level of success to the support of loyal festival sponsors.
Mataura Licensing Trust general manager John Wyeth said the trust recognised the festival as a key event for the community. "The Mataura Licensing Trust evolved because of those early prohibition laws so it makes sense that we align ourselves with the celebrations."
Antony Stodart, manager of Solid Energy's New Vale and Ohai mines, said his company was keen to be involved again.
