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General FAQs

WOMAD AOTEAROA 2025

WOMAD will take place March 14-16 at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park, Ngāmotu (New Plymouth). 

The Festival’s 2025 hours are: 
Fri, 4.30pm – 11.30pm  
Sat, 11am – 11.30pm    
Sun, 11am – 10pm  

WOMAD’s campsite is located at the Racecourse, adjacent to the festival site. The campsite is split into 6 zones; Glamping, TePee Life areas,  family camping, general camping, accessibility camping and Motorhome/RV camping areas. The Campsite opens on Friday at 9am giving our campers plenty of time to arrive, set-up and explore New Plymouth before the festival kicks off!  

our womad vibe

We want all our guests to have an absolutely amazing time at WOMAD. Please read through all the FAQs as they form our WOMAD code of conduct, which you agree to when you purchase your ticket.

Some positive things you can do to help support the wonderful WOMAD Vibe are:

  • Read all the FAQs here, so you know what's what!
  • Plan your WOMAD experience using our printed programme and the app.
  • Keep hydrated!
  • Be friendly to your fellow festival-goers.
  • Relax and enjoy the huge range of entertainment on offer.
  • Go with the flow, and be open to positive new experiences.
  • Most importantly, read through Safety at the Festival which includes some no no’s that will get you removed.

Please read through all the FAQs as they form our WOMAD code of conduct, which you agree to when you purchase your ticket.


WOMAD Aotearoa reserves the right to alter the programme without notice of any advertised artists or schedule.  

These must be accepted to purchase tickets.   

  • All tickets are non-refundable. We will not be offering a refund NO EXCEPTIONS. 
  • If the festival is unable to take place on 14-16 March 2025 ticket holders will be refunded their face value tickets. 
  • Ticket holders’ consent to being filmed, photographed, and recorded.  
  • These recordings will be used to promote WOMAD Aotearoa.  
  • Ticket holders agree to the WOMAD Aotearoa T&C’s and our code of conduct - keep reading for our Code o f Conduct.

WOMAD Aotearoa is committed to creating a safe, comfortable, fun experience for everyone. For your safety and that of your fellow WOMADers, you may be searched either on entry to the festival or within the festival site.

When you buy your ticket you are agreeing that you won't:

  • Irresponsibly or unsafely use alcohol.
  • Access restricted areas without the proper passes.
  • Use offensive language or act abusively.
  • Use obscene or offensive gestures, including the use of obscene or offensive gestures through imagery or symbolism including bringing banners, signs and other means of visual propaganda into the festival.
  • Possess/use/sell illegal drugs.
  • Publicly urinate or defecate (outside of a proper and/or public restroom).
  • Fight or engage in any action that may harm, endanger, threaten or bring discomfort to anyone.
  • Damage, destruct, vandalise or steal any property.
  • Refuse or resist a search.

This forms our WOMAD Code of Conduct for guests. If you violate this code of conduct, you risk being removed from the festival, forfeiting your right to re-enter as your wristband will be taken and no refund given.

We have festival security on-site at all times to help look after everyone. Should you require assistance or have any enquiries, please talk to our wonderful staff at the information centre, located at the top of the Bowl hill!

As well as a good attitude and dancing shoes, there is a range of helpful items you can bring with you into the venue to make your festival experience an organised and comfortable one!

What I CAN bring to WOMAD:

  • Baby strollers
  • Backpacks, purses, handbags, totes and fanny packs (no hydration packs allowed)
  • Binoculars
  • Blankets (small) and beach towels
  • Cameras (just not professional cameras unless you are accredited media)
  • Children (make sure they are with an adult ticket holder on arrival and upon leaving)
  • Food (homemade picnic food is allowed) commercially bought food is prohibited
  • Laptop computers and tablets
  • Personal items (such as sunglasses, make-up, lip balm, hand sanitiser and baby wipes are allowed and non-aerosols such as pump or squeeze sunscreen, roll-on deodorant, spray perfume and spray insect repellent)
  • Phones and chargers (we have power banks for purchase if you get low)
  • Sand/festival chairs (chairs higher than 10cm off the ground are to be placed to the sides and behind patrons, so as not to block the viewing of others).
  • Service animals only (no pets)
  • Umbrellas (handheld) and parasols (beach umbrellas are not allowed as they obstruct other festivalgoers viewing)
  • Re-usable water bottles (you can refill your water for FREE at the TSB WAI Water Refill stations!  Pack your non-glass, empty water bottle, or if you forget, visit the TSB WAI WATER stall, and grab yourself a new reusable bottle that comes filled with chilled still or sparkling water)

As part of our efforts to keep everyone safe and to protect our beautiful environment, there are a number of things we ask you to leave at home. If you are found with any of these items, you risk having them confiscated or you may be escorted from site by security or police. 

What I CANNOT bring to WOMAD:

  • Aerosol products (includes aerosol sunscreen, insect repellent, deodorant and hair products)
  • Air horns
  • Beach Umbrellas
  • BYO Alcohol (strictly forbidden from site and will be confiscated if found)
  • Commercial Food and Drink (no pre-packaged food or drinks allowed – we have our amazing Global Village with a huge variety of tasty food and beverages to purchase – plus our many TSB Wai Water stalls for re-filling your drink bottles)
  • Drones or remote-control toys
  • Drugs or drug paraphernalia (including cannabis, synthetic cannabis or cannabis products)
  • Flammables (including fireworks, explosives, road flares, naked flames or candles)
  • Flags or totems
  • Flashlights
  • Flyers, samples, giveaways, promotional items
  • Gang regalia
  • Glass bottles or containers
  • Hydration Packs
  • Kites or sky lanterns
  • Laser pointers
  • Musical instruments (unless you are one of our incredible artists!)
  • Selfie sticks or tripods
  • Sleeping bags
  • Sunshades or pop-up beach shelters (handheld umbrellas are allowed and parasols are available to purchase from our Wo-Store)
  • Tents 
  • Toy guns, water guns or slingshots
  • Vehicles (including but not limited to bicycles, skates, scooters, skateboards, hoverboards, segways, e-scooters etc. These personal vehicles cannot be used within the venue but you can lock them up outside the entry gates (at your own risk). Personal mobility devices for ADA guests are allowed).
  • Weapons of any kind (this ban includes but is not limited to guns, ammo, pocket knives, tasers, pepper spray/mace etc. Off-duty law enforcement or concealed carry permits are also not allowed to bring weapons – just bring love!

Every guest coming onto the WOMAD festival site needs to present their ticket.

This includes:

  • Adults (18yrs+)

  • Youth (13 – 17yrs, will be required to present a valid form of ID as well)

  • Note that each adult ticket holder is entitled to one free child ticket (12 yrs and under) and both the child and adult must be wrist-banded at the same time

  • Additional children (12 yrs and under) with a ticket of their own.

You can either print out your ticket and have it scanned, or show your ticket on your phone to be scanned.

Once your ticket is accepted our friendly gate staff will give you your wristband. Don't take your wristband off as it is how you get back into the festival.

You can leave the festival site at any time, but you must show your wristband each time you come back. Youth ticket holders may leave the venue but will not be allowed on to the festival site after 7pm unless accompanied by a parent or caregiver who is 18 years or older.

Our gate staff are trained to check all people entering the site for contraband items (see the list above), so expect to open your bag at the entry lanes.

If you prefer, you can choose to be wrist-banded at one of our pre-wristbanding sites.

No swimming in the lake, it's gross, it’s yucky and you run the risk of getting sick if you enter the water. If you enter the lake your wristband will be cut off and you will be evicted from the site, forfeited the right to come back in to the festival.

WOMAD Aotearoa is held in the beautiful TSB Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park, in New Plymouth, Taranaki. The park is home to a stunning array of trees and gardens and we want to keep it that way. Please keep off the gardens and especially don’t climb the trees.

WOMAD adheres to the New Plymouth District Council's Smokefree Parks and Outdoor Areas Policy and encourage all WOMAD punters to respect this by not smoking within the venue including cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vape pens.  

Power Banks will be available to purchase on-site!

The four entrances to the festival are:   

GATE C - Kaimata St    
GATE D - Brooklands Drive   
GATE E – Dell Lake   
GATE F – Racecourse   

Fri, 4.30pm – 11.30pm    
Sat, 11am – 11.30pm    
Sun, 11am – 10pm   

(performance start times to follow in October with our main artist announcement)    

About Tickets

We have a wide range of ticket types giving you lots of flexibility. Decide what tickets you need before you place your order. Please choose your tickets carefully as all ticket purchases are final. Plan for alternative tickets if the ones you want are no longer available - WOMAD tends to sell out!

WOMAD Aotearoa reserves the right to alter without notice any advertised artist or schedule.

There are few types of tickets:

Festival only tickets
(Three day and single day)

OR

Festival + Camping tickets
Camping options are Motorhome, general, accessible, family, Glamping and Tepee tickets.

OR

VIP Package tickets  

Three day tickets are available to purchase in our 1st Release! Single day tickets will be available in our 2nd Release.

If you are buying your tickets online, then you may choose between credit card or PayPlan instalments. Credit card fees apply.

You will need to purchase your tickets online to use PayPlan. Instalments can be paid fortnightly or monthly across EASY instalments. Our payment service has a calculator that will show you how much each instalment is. There is no extra charge for this service.

The only place online to buy tickets is our website womad.co.nz or from our ticket agent Ticket Space

Customer support for ticket sales and enquiries: Email [email protected] Phone: 0800 746 363 (opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 am - 4.30pm)

 

If the tickets you want are no longer available, you can try to order alternative tickets before you log out of your account. Do not be tempted to buy tickets from any other sites like Viagogo, or from scalpers.

No! Genuine tickets are only available from our website

You will receive your tickets via email. We are using delayed delivery. This is a suspension of tickets to minimise fraud and scalping on WOMAD 2025 tickets. The delay will be lifted on the 1st December 2024. You will receive your PDF tickets via the email address on your order after this date.

If you are paying by PayPlan instalments, your tickets will be emailed to you after receiving your final instalment.

If you have a question regarding your ticket please check through all our FAQs carefully before contacting our ticketing supplier. Online supplier: [email protected]

Phone: 0800 746 363 (opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 am - 4.30pm)  

Tickets holders consent to be filmed, photographed and recorded during the festival. These recordings may be used to promote WOMAD Aotearoa.

WOMAD 2025 TICKETING GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
These must be accepted in order to purchase tickets.

  • All tickets are non-refundable. We will not be offering a refund NO EXCEPTIONS.
  • If the festival is unable to take place on 14-16 March 2025 ticket holders will be entitled to a refund of the ticket face value.
  • Ticket holders’ consent to being filmed, photographed, and recorded. 
  • These recordings will be used to promote WOMAD Aotearoa. 
  • Ticket holders agree to the WOMAD Aotearoa's T&C’s.

Youth

We absolutely want to have our next generation of WOMADers, our Youth, join us at the Festival. Here’s some useful information to ensure they have a great time.

A youth is someone who is 13 – 17 years old. Each youth must have a valid youth ticket to enter the festival. Valid ID for each youth is required when presenting their ticket to be wrist-banded.

A youth ticket must be bought at the same time as an adult ticket (18 years +).

Youth ticket holders may leave the venue but will not be allowed on to the festival site after 7pm unless accompanied by a parent or caregiver who is 18 years or older.

Youth ticket holders are not legally allowed to purchase or consume alcohol on site at the festival or to bring alcohol in. If alcohol is found it will be confiscated and you will be evicted from the site. If you are evicted you will have forfeited the right to come back into the festival. Stringent bag checks will be conducted on entry to the site.

Camping is not available to youth unless they are accompanied by a parent or caregiver (18 yrs+) with a valid Festival + Camping Combo ticket.

The Youth ticket holder must camp in the same site as their parent or caregiver.

Children

We love children at WOMAD so here’s a few tidbits to help with having the kids at the festival.

  • Children 12 and under are free – one per ticketed adult.  
  • Children 12 and under must be supervised by an adult ticket holder at all times. This includes both at the festival and the campsite. 

 
To bring a child (12 and under) to WOMAD for free, they must be wrist-banded at the same time as the adult ticket holder, either at the gate, or at a pre-wristbanding site. This applies to children camping as well.  

Additional children’s festival tickets are $35 and additional child + camping combo tickets are $65.

Additional children require a ticket that will be scanned at the gate OR pre-wristbanding site and exchanged for a wristband in order to enter. Children must be with the adult ticket holder at time of wrist-banding. 

 

Just purchase an adult ticket - each adult ticket holder is entitled to bring one child (12 years and under) to the festival for free. The child will be issued with a ticket at purchase,  they must be wrist-banded at the same time as the adult, either at the gate, or at a pre-wristbanding site.

With Festival + Camping Combo tickets one free child per adult is included. The child will be issued with a ticket and they must be wrist-banded at the same time as the adult, either at the gate, or at a pre-wristbanding site.

  • The child will be issued a wristband at the gate OR pre-wristbanding site.
  • The free child must be with the adult at time of wrist-banding.
  • Additional children’s Festival + Camping Combo tickets can be purchased.
  • Additional children require a ticket that will be scanned at the gate OR pre-wristbanding site and exchanged for a wristband in order to enter. Children must be with the adult ticket holder at time of wrist-banding.

If for some reason you get separated from your child, the Information Centre located at the top of the Bowl is the place to look. A couple of tips:

  • We recommend that children have their parents/caregivers mobile phone number written on their arm or wristband.

  • Arrange with your children at the beginning of the festival to meet at the Information Centre if you are separated.

No swimming in the lake, it's gross, it's yucky and you run the risk of getting sick if you enter the water. The lake is too deep for swimming. Please keep watch on your children around the lake area and keep them out of the water.

Additional child tickets can be purchased for $35 per child, and additional child + camping combo tickets are $65 per child. This additional child ticket must be presented at the gate (or pre-wristbanding site) to receive the child's wristband. Children must be with an adult ticket holder at the time of wrist-banding.

There is never a shortage of brilliant things to do in Kidzone - arts & crafts workshops and performances! All the creativity climaxes on Sunday evening at 6pm when the festival stops for the Kidz Parade – feel free to join in! All Kidzone activities are free.

Note: Kidzone is NOT a childcare facility. You cannot leave children unattended. Please supervise your children at all times.

WOMAD NZ is held in the beautiful TSB Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park, in New Plymouth, Taranaki. 

The park is home to a stunning array of trees and gardens and we want to keep it that way.  Please keep watch on your children, don’t let them trample on the gardens and especially don’t let them climb the trees.  They could get seriously hurt or hurt others if they fall from the trees.

Check these FAQs too!

Camping FAQs

Accessibility FAQs