Millennium gathering
A pit filled with people spinning fire, the sound of tribal drumming, stiltwalkers roaming through the crowd, fireworks, bubbles floating from the trance music zone, live bands and DJs - this is the sensory assault you'll experience at The Gathering 2000.
The Gathering is an outdoor dance party held at New Year's Eve on Takaka Hill near Nelson. For the last two years 8000 tickets have sold in advance of the event.
This year tickets are limited to 6000 and publicist Alison Green has already sent about 600 emails to people who have visited The Gathering website (www.gathering.co.nz).
"Tickets are going to sell quite fast this year," she said. "If there is demand over the 6000 we have all the facilities in place to cater for a bit more."
Green said judging from the emails she has received, this year's party will be more international than ever before. "The word about The Gathering has gone out to the world in a massive way."
Green said there will also be representation from international DJs this year. She had been sent mix-tapes from DJs in the United States, Italy and the United Kingdon who wanted to perform at the event.
The high cost of hiring gear for new year 2000 had meant a sharp rise in the ticket price, but Green insisted The Gathering will not be making a profit. "If we break even we'll be happy."
There would not be any major changes to The Gathering's formula for 2000. "What we have got here is already working," Green said. She was hoping to set up a live internet broadcast from the party, and she planned to film the second Gathering documentary.
"One of the special things about The Gathering is that everybody makes it their party. There are so many special things that happen just because of the people who come," she said.