Media release from the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival
14 June 2012

Queenstown’s biggest party starts to take shape

The ten-day countdown to the 2012 American Express Queenstown Winter Festival has begun with construction of the American Express Wonderland Ice Rink getting underway today.

Introduced in 2011 as a focal point of the festival, the American Express Wonderland Ice Rink will once again be erected on the Village Green, transforming the area into a magical winter experience for residents and visitors during the highly anticipated festival.
The rink will take approximately seven days to construct and will be open to skaters from the opening day of the festival next Friday 22 June.
More than 20,000 litres of water will be used over three days to form the ice surface on the 15m x 15m rink before skaters are able to use it.

Festival Director, Simon Green, said he was thrilled the highly popular rink was returning this year and he was looking forward to seeing it completed and operational.

“The ice rink will create a great winter experience for residents and visitors and help bring Queenstown’s CBD alive during the festival, especially with all the winter themed lighting that will look magical at night,” Mr Green said.

The ice rink will open daily from 10am until 10pm during the festival. The cost of skating (including skate hire) will range from $10-$25 per person with family concessions also available.

As well as offering festival goers a skating experience, the rink will be used to showcase local talent. The Queenstown Figure Skating Club will perform at 2.00pm on Saturday 23 June and Sunday 24 June and at 6.00pm Sunday 1 July.

American Express cardholders are invited to skate at no charge each day with a partner on presentation of their American Express card (limited to first 80 cardholders per day).

Kids need to listen out to Queenstown’s MORE FM for their chance to be one of the first on the ice at 8.00am on Friday June 22nd.

To see the full line up of the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival programme and individual event details check out the complete calendar online at www.winterfestival.co.nz or pick up a programme at information outlets throughout the region.

Tickets for all events can be bought from Ticketek online at www.ticketek.com, or in person at the Queenstown Events Centre or Queenstown i-Site (corner of Shotover and Camp streets)*.
* Ticket service fees apply.

Winter Starts Here! From June 22 to July 1 the 2012 American Express Queenstown Winter Festival celebrates 38 years of winter fun and festivities with 10 days of totally outrageous and uniquely Queenstown events. Join us on Facebook, become a Friend of Festival and keep an eye on www.winterfestival.co.nz to be first with the latest news and hot updates.

ENDS

Festival Background
Since first being staged in 1975 by Queenstowners who thought the arrival of snow was a ‘great excuse for a party’, the Festival has evolved to forge a unique identity as New Zealand’s premier celebration of all things winter. Now an iconic event cemented on New Zealand’s calendar, it attracts 45,000 attendees and injects a whopping $57 million back into the local economy.

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