It's cheaper than the Cook Strait ferry
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There are festivals, and there are festivals - then there's The Gathering, the New Year's Eve dance party on the top of Takaka Hill near Nelson, which kicked off two years ago with 4000 partygoers, and last time doubled its numbers with all tickets for the alcohol-free party selling out in advance.
Boasting some of the country's finest DJs and international guests, The Gathering is an event which, last time, brought an estimated $4 million into the local economy.
The event also creates its own sense of community and that aspect, plus the work which went into establishing the festival, and interviews with Nelson's mayor, the local police and party people, have been woven together by producer Alison Green and director Kylie Plunkett into a 40-minute documentary which will be screened tonight and tomorrow at the Silo Theatre.
Well received at Wellington's Fringe Festival, the documentary - with a soundtrack featuring many of the country's top electronic artists - will then be taken on a short tour around the country.
So if you couldn't afford the Cook Strait ferry fare, here's your chance to bone up on what actually happened, so you can answer your grandchildren when they ask, "What did you do in the 20th Century?"
The Gathering - The Documentary, Silo Theatre, Greys Ave. Tonight and tomorrow, 9.