Residents Protest Late-Night Music Festival in Rolling Meadows

Residents of a community in New Zealand have expressed their concerns over the upcoming Rolling Meadows music festival, scheduled to take place from December 29, 2025, to January 1, 2026. The three-day event, which will run from noon until 2 a.m., has prompted a petition calling for reduced hours due to fears about noise and traffic disruption.

The festival, located on Lower Styx Rd, will feature over 80 local and international acts across four stages. Previous iterations of the event attracted as many as 7,000 people when held over two days in Waipara, North Canterbury. This year, organisers aim to expand the festival to three days and move it to a new site covering 62 hectares.

Betty Chapman, a local resident, voiced the community’s frustrations, stating, “We’re concerned about the festival going on all day until 2 a.m. or later. We’re going to hear that booming bass all night.” She noted that the loud music could affect residents as far as Prestons and Burwood, depending on wind direction.

Chapman highlighted that out of approximately 30 properties affected, a core group of eight neighbours have expressed significant concerns. She described a consultation with one of the festival’s organisers, during which she felt dismissed when told that they were the only ones voicing complaints. “I thought what the. It’s the first time I’ve ever hung up on someone in more than 10 years,” she remarked.

In an effort to address resident concerns, concert organisers have offered to cover alternative accommodation costs for those affected during the festival. They also plan to hire staff to patrol the area, manage waste, and ensure the safety of residents’ homes. Despite this, Chapman insists that residents prefer to remain in their homes, expressing unease about potential safety risks.

Traffic concerns have also been raised, with fears that the event could bring up to 10,000 people to the area, exacerbating congestion on the narrow two-lane roads. Chapman pointed out that the festival coincides with the annual New Year’s Day gala at nearby Spencerville, raising questions about how local infrastructure can handle the influx of visitors. “How are we going to cope with all that bumper-to-bumper traffic?” she asked.

Chapman and her husband have lived in the area for 14 years, and she expressed regret over the prospect of a festival disrupting their previously peaceful environment. Many residents, particularly retirees, chose the area for its tranquility and are now worried about the potential impact of the festival.

Preparations for the festival site are already underway, despite the fact that resource consent has not yet been granted. According to Mark Stevenson, head of planning and consents for the city council, officials are currently reviewing a revised proposal for the event and await further information from the applicants to continue processing the application.

The festival’s lineup is expected to be announced on Monday, but as of now, the organisers have not responded to requests for comment regarding the community’s concerns. As tensions rise in the community, it remains to be seen how these issues will be resolved in the lead-up to the event.