This year’s TSB Festival of Lights Winter Pop-Up event delivered by NPDC, lit up local up New Plymouth’s central business district and cash registers – generating $1.25 million in spending.

Around 15,000 people attended the event held over Mataraki long weekend, with a recently completed independent report from Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL) showing that 17 per cent of attendees were from outside of Taranaki – up from 14 per cent last year.

Of those from out of town, 79 per cent said the festival was the reason for travelling to the region that weekend. The report also highlighted a visitor satisfaction rating of 92 per cent.

New Plymouth District Mayor Neil Holdom says the winter pop-up has been a hit since it was launched in 2022 and not only is it a fantastic event, but it hugely important to the local economy.

“The central business area is buzzing over those four days with local bars and restaurants busy and lots of families out and about enjoying the lights and entertainment. Events like this are vital to help us realise our vision to be a Sustainable Lifestyle Capital.”

NPDC Events Lead Lisa Ekdahl says the report findings, particularly the high satisfaction rate and the positive impact on the local economy, makes it all worthwhile.

“We’re grateful to those that helped produce and everyone that attended this year’s event, and we’re also honoured to have been nominated for Best Local Government Event in the New Zealand Event Awards, which is recognition by the industry of the work put in by the NPDC Events team and supported so strongly by the Taranaki community.”

The team is now channelling its energy into the five-week summer TSB Festival of Lights, which will bring Pukekura Park alive each night between 21 December 2024 and 26 January 2025. Event details will be announced soon.

Fast Facts:

• The TSB Festival of Lights Winter Pop-Up featured 9 light installations and 37 performances, including six in te reo Māori.
• This year’s festival generated $1.25M in economic spend within Taranaki – up from $1M in 2023.
• The TSB Festival of Lights Winter Pop-Up is nominated for Best Local Government Event in the 2024 New Zealand Event Awards.
• The summer festival won the award in 2021 and New Zealand’s Favourite Event 2021 (as voted by the public).
• The TSB Festival of Lights 2023/2024 event generated $17.9M in total expenditure.

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