Splore Festival
Splore Festival operates an annual three-day boutique music and arts festival at Tāpapakanga Regional Park, Auckland, New Zealand. It serves NZ consumers via ticket sales, WAYVER wristband spending, and brand sponsorships, with Toitu carbonzero certification and mana whenua iwi partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Splore Festival does
Splore Festival, operated by the privately held New Zealand limited company Splore Dynamics Ltd, runs an annual three-day boutique music and arts festival at Tāpapakanga Regional Park on the shores of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. The event occupies a single fixed site on the ancestral land of mana whenua iwi Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Paoa, with programming spanning music across multiple stages, performing arts (acrobats, aerialists, cabaret), visual arts installations, a curated spoken word programme (the Listening Lounge), wellness offerings through Wendy's Wellness, and dedicated family programming including The Rumpus Room kids' zone. The festival describes itself as a community rather than a commercial event, with no VIP zones and a strong code of conduct that underpins repeat attendance among 'OG Splorers.'
The business model is multi-stream: primary revenue comes from ticket sales (Adult GA $350 via iwi fundraising tickets, regular value over $450; Youth 13-17 at $220; Children 12 and under free), supplemented by add-on revenue from Thursday early entry, reserved camping, camper vehicle sites, and parking passes. On-site monetization is enabled through the WAYVER wristband payment system, operated by third-party AWOP, which processes all bar, food, and market purchases and yields a transaction-fee cut for the festival. Sponsorship revenue is contributed by a roster of core partners including Red Bull, Corona, Alba Drinks, Kirin Hyoketsu, and Karma Drinks, with media reach amplified through NZME radio partners George FM, The Edge, and Rova, plus outdoor media partner GoMedia.
From a technology and operations standpoint, Splore does not operate proprietary technology; the platform stack relies on iTICKET for ticketing distribution and AWOP/WAYVER for on-site cashless payments. Operational scale is bounded by a single annual event with 11-50 employees, and the company holds Toitu carbonzero certification (achieved 2021) as the first festival in Aotearoa to do so, giving it a sustainability credential that is unusual in the New Zealand festival segment. No external funding rounds, acquisitions, or ownership changes are disclosed in the available data.
Splore Festival firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Splore Festival
- Legal name
- Splore Dynamics Ltd
- Website
- https://splore.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Splore Festival operates an annual three-day boutique music and arts festival at Tāpapakanga Regional Park, Auckland, New Zealand. It serves NZ consumers via ticket sales, WAYVER wristband spending, and brand sponsorships, with Toitu carbonzero certification and mana whenua iwi partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Splore Festival industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music and Arts Festivals
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cultural & Community Festivals (Ticketed) (THAJAFAI), Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)
Keywords
Where Splore Festival is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Splore Festival business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales. Adult general admission tickets are priced at $350 via iwi fundraising tickets (regular value over $450). Youth tickets (13-17) are priced at $220. Children 12 and under are free. Thursday early entry upgrades are available as add-ons.
- Camping & Parking Upgrades: Reserved camping sites, camper vehicle sites, and parking passes are sold as add-ons to base tickets, generating incremental revenue per attendee.
- On-site Spending (WAYVER Wristband): All on-site purchases at bars, food vendors, and market stalls are made using the WAYVER wristband payment system. WAYVER is operated by AWOP (a third-party payment provider). The festival takes a cut of vendor sales processed through the wristband system.
- Beverage & Food Sales: Multiple bars (Corona Bar, Alba Cantina, Hyoketsu Bar, general bars) and food vendors generate on-site revenue. Vendors include alcohol brands (Corona, Alba Drinks, Karma Drinks, The Botanist Gin, Drappier Champagne, Red Bull, Hyoketsu) and food vendors offering vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Adult General Admission (18+) via iwi fundraising |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Youth Ticket (13-17) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Child Ticket (12 and under) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Thursday Early Entry Add-on |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Reserved Camping / Camper Vehicle Site |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Parking Pass |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hot Shower |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Splore Festival product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Splore Festival operates a three-day boutique music and arts festival held annually at Tāpapakanga Regional Park in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. The event combines multiple stages of live music, performing arts (acrobats, aerialists, circus), visual arts installations, spoken word discussions (Listening Lounge), wellness programming (Wendy's Wellness), and family/kids zones (The Rumpus Room) with on-site camping, food and beverage vendors, and a costume culture tradition. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, add-on camping and parking upgrades, and a cut of on-site vendor transactions processed through the WAYVER wristband payment system.
Product overview
Splore Festival is a single, unified event — a three-day boutique music and arts festival that serves as the company's core product. The festival offering encompasses multiple programming streams including: Music Programme (international and local live acts, DJs across multiple stages), Performing Arts Programme (acrobats, aerialists, street shows, cabaret), Visual Arts (installations and curated artworks), Wellness Programme (facilitators, practitioners, yoga, bodywork, sound healing), Listening Lounge (spoke n word discussions), and family/kids programming (The Rumpus Room, family camping). These components are not separate products but integrated elements of the single festival event.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Splore Festival A three-day boutique music and arts festival held annually at Tāpapakanga Regional Park in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, featuring live music across multiple stages, performing arts (acrobats, aerialists, circus), visual arts installations, spoken word sessions (Listening Lounge), wellness programming (Wendy's Wellness), family-friendly kids zone (The Rumpus Room), diverse food and beverage vendors, on-site camping, and a costume culture tradition. Targeted at adult festival-goers, families, wellness seekers, and arts enthusiasts in New Zealand.
- Weddings at Splore (Ashby homestead venue hire)
Quantifiable outcome
- First festival in Aotearoa to achieve Toitu carbonzero certification (2021)
Companies that use Splore Festival
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Splore Festival technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Splore Festival partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Corona (Heineken NZ)coreCorona is a long-standing partner of Splore, sponsoring the Corona Bar on the hill overlooking Mainstage. Described as sharing Splore's love of creativity, culture, connection, and time out in nature. Corona Bar is positioned as a relaxed, beach-inspired meeting place serving Corona and Corona Cero 0.0%.
- Alba DrinkscoreAlba Drinks (Kiwi-owned independent brand spanning Alba Authentic Tequila canned cocktails and mocktails, East Imperial mixers, Ārrepa health drinks, Hunting Lodge Wines) operates the Alba Cantina and supplies all festival bars. Natural alignment as an independent, homegrown Kiwi brand.
- GoMediaminorGoMedia is a Kiwi-based outdoor media solutions company providing national reach and programmatic advertising for Splore, helping deliver messages to audiences at the right time.
- Kirin HyoketsucoreKirin Hyoketsu (number one RTD in Japan, blending real fruit juice and vodka soda, low in sugar and calories) sponsors the Hyoketsu Bar at Te Kanikani stage. Brings a Japanese craft and innovation presence to the festival.
- Karma DrinkscoreKarma Drinks is a NZ-founded brand committing 1% of revenue to the Karma Foundation supporting growers and communities in Sierra Leone. Aligned with Splore's values of sustainability and giving back.
- Hancocks Family MerchantsminorHancocks Family Merchants supplies The Botanist Gin (Isle of Islay, 22 hand-foraged botanicals) and Drappier Champagne (French Champagne house) to Splore bars, providing premium alcohol offerings at the festival.
- Red BullcoreRed Bull is Splore's longest-standing partner, having supported the festival since its earliest iterations. Provides generous infrastructure contributions, supports the iconic Crystal Palace stage, and backs theme camp activations. Described as authentically backing 'the imagination and momentum that keeps Splore moving.'
- Elta EgominorElta Ego makes award-winning alcohol-free cocktails containing adaptogens (L-Theanine, Maca & Ginseng), crafted in Auckland. Supports Splore's inclusive vibe with low-sugar, all-natural alcohol-free options.
- NODE© Rapid Hydration FormulaminorNODE© provides natural electrolyte hydration drinks (no added sugar, no sweeteners, natural fruit juice) at Splore, supporting the 'hedonism and health' balance for festival-goers between dance floors and ocean dips.
- George FM / The Edge / Rova (NZME Radio)coreGeorge FM (dance/electronic), The Edge (trends/music), and Rova (all-in-one entertainment) are NZME radio partners that amplify the story of Splore and its artists across Aotearoa through broadcast media and digital platforms.
- CannaPlus+minorCannaPlus+ is a doctor-led medicinal cannabis clinic and dispensary that supports informed, stigma-free conversations about medicinal cannabis at Splore. Provides a guide for bringing prescribed medicinal cannabis to the festival, onsite medical waste bins for responsible disposal, and supporting documentation for patients.
- Ngāti Paoa and Ngaati Whanaunga (Mana Whenua / Iwi)coreThe Splore site is on the ancestral land of Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Paoa. Both iwi hold mana whenua status and welcome festival attendees each year with a Pōwhiri. Whare Tapere is an Iwi-led cultural village and programme of activities. Iwi also sell fundraising tickets to support Whare Tapere practitioners. The partnership is central to Splore's cultural identity and is described as an 'inspiring partnership story.'
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Splore Festival competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Rhythm and Alps: South Island New Zealand boutique music festival with similar winter-season timing, camping, and music programming. Comparable single-venue boutique model in an adjacent NZ region.
Direct peers
- Homegrown: Wellington-based boutique New Zealand music festival with multi-stage programming and similar adult/youth ticketing structure. Splore is often cited alongside Homegrown as one of NZ's signature boutique music events.
- Northern Bass: New Zealand boutique electronic/dance music festival held annually at a regional site with camping. Comparable single-venue, multi-day format with similar vendor partnerships, on-site wristband economics, and ticketing structure.
- Bay Dreams: Multi-city New Zealand music festival (Bay Dreams North/Northland, Bay Dreams South) targeting a similar young adult demographic with camping, multi-stage programming, and headline international/Domestic acts. Directly comparable on ticketing, camping infrastructure, and revenue model.
- WOMAD New Zealand: New Plymouth-based world music and arts festival with comparable programming breadth (music, dance, wellness, arts) and similar cultural-integration ethos. Closest peer on programming philosophy and family-friendliness.
- Rhythm and Vines: Large New Zealand music festival (held annually at Gisborne) with similar multi-day boutique format, on-site camping, and similar mix of music and social programming. Comparable in scale and consumer demographic, though positioned for a New Year's audience.
Emerging players
- Burning Man: Community-driven, single-site arts and culture event with similar 'tribe/community' identity, sustainability ethos, and cultural programming (though materially larger and non-commercial). Relevant comparison for community/identity-led festival model and self-organized culture.
Broad incumbents
- Falls Festival: Multi-day boutique New Year's music festival operating across Australia and New Zealand (Lorne, Byron, Fremantle, Marion Bay). Closely comparable on multi-day camping, multi-stage format, and youth-oriented programming.
- Splendour in the Grass: Australia's flagship boutique music and arts festival (now in Byron Bay). Comparable in targeting, premium positioning, multi-stage programming, and brand sponsorship ecosystem, though materially larger in scale and operating on a for-profit Live Nation-style infrastructure.
- Laneway Festival: Australia/New Zealand touring boutique music festival with comparable demographic, multi-city format, and indie/alternative programming. Useful comparability on ticketing partner economics and brand sponsorship mix.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Splore Festival social profiles
Digital presenceSplore Festival compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Splore Festival financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Splore Festival leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Splore Festival funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Splore Festival M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Splore Festival
What does Splore Festival do?
Splore Festival operates a three-day boutique music and arts festival held annually at Tāpapakanga Regional Park in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. The event combines multiple stages of live music, performing arts (acrobats, aerialists, circus), visual arts installations, spoken word discussions (Listening Lounge), wellness programming (Wendy's Wellness), and family/kids zones (The Rumpus Room) with on-site camping, food and beverage vendors, and a costume culture tradition. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, add-on camping and parking upgrades, and a cut of on-site vendor transactions processed through the WAYVER wristband payment system.
Is Splore Festival a public or private company?
Splore Festival is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Splore Festival founded?
Splore Festival was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Splore Festival based?
Splore Festival is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Splore Festival make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are camping & Parking Upgrades, on-site Spending (WAYVER Wristband) and beverage & Food Sales.
Who are Splore Festival's main competitors?
Rhythm and Alps is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Homegrown, Northern Bass, Bay Dreams, WOMAD New Zealand and Rhythm and Vines. Burning Man is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass and Laneway Festival.
Does Splore Festival have an API?
No public API is recorded for Splore Festival.
What industry is Splore Festival in?
Splore Festival's product category is Live Music and Arts Festivals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAAAB, Music Festival Organizers & Promoters, with a secondary code of THAJAFAI, Cultural & Community Festivals (Ticketed). Its NAICS code is 711320 and its SIC code is 7900.