A new music and lifestyle festival celebrating the best of Central Otago is coming to Gibbston Valley this summer.

The Valley will debut on Saturday, January 24 (Auckland Anniversary Weekend) at The Church Cellar Door, offering a full day of live music, wine, food and scenery in one of the region’s most spectacular settings.

“The Valley is about bringing together the best of what Gibbston has to offer - music, flavour, scenery and atmosphere,” festival director Nathan White said.

“This isn’t just another summer gig. It’s an elevated experience in one of the most iconic spots in the country.”

The event is being produced by Ripe Events, the team behind Wānaka’s Ripe Wine & Food Festival, and is being designed with a long-term vision of becoming a summer fixture in the region.

Wines will be served by Mount Edward and Canyon Brewing will be pouring craft beer on the day.

The Church venue has hosted other large-scale events, and organisers said the festival will be a seamless experience for concertgoers with site access and traffic management being ‘upgraded’.

The full artist lineup - including New Zealand icons, household names and rising stars - will be announced soon.

The festival is expected to draw as many as 5,000 people and will run from midday to 8pm. Tickets go on sale on September 1, 2025.

The Valley will follow the end of the long-running Gibbston Valley Summer Concert, which held its final show earlier this year. That event is planning a move to Wānaka in 2026.

Read more: Gibbston Valley Concert moving to Three Parks

PHOTO: Supplied