NYE can be a tricky one. Most either love it or hate it, and a lot of the time it can be a big disappointment. But amongst all the resolutions and often last minute planning, no one ever wants to be stranded when the dial strikes midnight.
We’ve been blessed with some pretty wicked new years multi-day fests, including Falls, Beyond The Valley and Lost Paradise to name a few. With smaller NYE one-nighters like Origin NYE, Island Life and the like putting on solid events to wrap up the year.
But you do normally have to dish out the $$. Even a club night these days will set you back minimum $50-$150 just to get a good view of some fireworks and maybe a drink on entry. So it’s pretty amazing that NYE In The Park in Sydney, only in the second year of operation, can set you up with a wicked NYE for minimal cost.
In year one the lineup was all local over two stages, with a small yet fun lineup. Come 2018, and they had The Presets, The Jungle Giants and Hayden James on the bill. All with average ticket price being barely $100. We’re talking a seriously good lineup here, on freaking New Years, for less than some bars charge for entry just a short cab away from Sydney’s Victoria Park.
The event sold out this year, and it’s pretty easy to understand why. And even with an absolutely intense downpour hitting the festival when most punters were merely getting in, the second year was a big success. Hayden James’ set, which was best of the day and in the pouring rain, electrified the crowd. While Hot Dub Time Machine, as he always does, got the crowds galvanised. Just enough for The Presets to swing in just after midnight to kick off 2019 with some absolute bangers.
It’s pretty impressive given the cost, and we’re already seeing some other states follow suit. Smaller, niche lineups for a fraction of the cost of other festivals with big international acts.
Often at New Years, you just want to be in a fun place, with your mates, having a good time as the clock ticks over. They organisers promote it as “the best new years ever”, and two years in, it’s hard to disagree.
Image Source: NYE In The Park Facebook
