Europe’s biggest winter music festival, Snowboxx, has announced an avalanche of Aotearoa artists for its first-ever New Zealand edition in collaboration with Rhythm & Alps.

The week-long slopeside party at the Cardrona and Treble Cone skifields this spring (September 7-14) will feature an eclectic mix of electronic music.

The event was originally planned for 2020, but was cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions.

From house to hip hop, drum & bass to disco, Snowboxx NZ said it will recreate the Snowboxx European extravaganza which takes place annually in Avoriaz, featuring an action-packed programme of performances across a series of mountain-top stages. 

“We have brought together some of New Zealand’s best home-grown talent for one hell of a party,” Rhythm & Alps promoter Alex Turnbull said. 

“Rather than hedging our bets on borders being open and booking international artists, we want to bring people together, safely, for a festival that will be the envy of the rest of the world - much like Rhythm & Alps which welcomed the start of the year.”

The event will be Snowboxx’s first NZ edition.

The first artists announced include headliners Shapeshifter, who will perform a live DJ set, a scaled-down version of their full band experience.

Accompanying them on main stage duties are firm festival favourites Lee Mvtthews (known for banging out infectious tunes and bass-driven drops) and young production powerhouse Montell2099, with more Kiwi headliners still to be revealed. 

The event promises electrifying live performances, with the queen of New Zealand’s roots and dancehall scene - Rubi Du, Def Jam’s Polynesian poet Melodownz, and experimental electronic producers Kédu Carlö. 

Meanwhile, local DnB dons, Concord Dawn, Sly Chaos, Fairbrother and Tali & Chicorelli, will be cranking it up a notch alongside The Peacekeepers. Joining them on a collective mission to make people dance is Frank Brooker, the Sweet Mix Kids, Out of Sorts, Sin, Pork Crackle and Club 121 pioneers, Cameron Morris and Jesper Tjarnfors of 121 Soundsystem.

The full artist line-up and programme is to be announced. Meanwhile find out more here.

PHOTOS: Supplied