To kick off the start of the summer festival season in 2025 we headed to Le Currents in Taupo. It’s usually held just before the larger New Year’s Eve Festivals, so it makes for a good pit stop if you’re heading to something like Rhythm & Vines.
Getting to the Festival
Road trip time! Make your way to Taupo early and book accommodation in town. Alternatively, you could head there on the day of the festival from nearby towns & cities. Taupo is roughly 3 -4 hours driving from Auckland depending on traffic.
You can walk to the festival from the city centre, or take local buses like the Taupo Connector that stop nearby.
Where to Stay
Le Currents offers camping at the Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre, a site 15 min drive from the festival. Free buses run from the campsite pre and post event, but check the Le Currents website for the specific times these are available. These also drop you off just outside the festival site.
What to wear to Le Currents
The main style for this festival is Boho chic – cowboy boots and hats could be seen everywhere for this indie summer festival! If you’re looking for some outfit Inspo or just want to know what the vibes are like, take a look at my Pinterest Boards:
The Festival – Le Currents
Being a day time festival, the atmosphere is ideal on a sunny day. There’s plenty of spaces to soak up the sun while you’re waiting between performances. Or sit in the grass under the trees providing shade.
Note there are no pass outs for this festival, so be prepared before you head in! There are public bathrooms just outside the festival site. If you’re not keen on using port-a-loos or waiting in long lines for the bathroom, make use of them before and after the event.
Riva Stage
The main stage, where the live band performances are. This stage is truly riverside and you can see it flowing beside the festival site. There’s less shade directly in front of the stage, but if you’re in VIP there’s more shaded areas for you to watch the main acts from.
La Danse Stage
A smaller stage with techno music, this one has a lot of trees providing shaded areas to sit and watch from, and at night the lights and stage visuals really pop out.
Food & Drink
There is a food alley full of different food trucks & stalls as soon as you walk in that head to the main stage.
There are two bars for general admission, one by each stage. By the peak of the festival lines get pretty full and can extend well past the queueing fences, so if you’re just after a non-alcoholic drink like a red bull, head to a food stall to buy them – it’s cheaper anyway.
VIP Area
If you upgrade to VIP, you’ll get access to an exclusive bar and shaded viewing area with seating across from the main stage. What stands out from other VIP experiences at other NZ festivals: a complimentary drink on arrival and food until 8pm.
Art spaces & Extras
Free sun screen was available on arrival as part of a brand activation. A great initiative, especially for a hot summer day.
There were a few art installations this year. One was an interactive tunnel made from shiny materials – great for a photo op. Then there were large letters spelling ‘LE CURRENTS’ and other various painted signs for the festival. I would love to see the collection of art get built on in future editions of the festival as it really enhances the festival’s aesthetic.
There were small merch stalls available by both art areas selling festive accessories. These were on the expensive side aside from the actual festival merch, which can make for cute souvenirs.
If you’re seeking a thrill between acts, there is also a carnival ride. The set up is similar to Mardi Gras, and this year both festivals had the Scream Machine.
Outside the Festival
There are plenty of activities you can do around Taupo during down time leading up to and after the festival. Here are some of my favourites but if you’re there to party, be sure to check out the pre & after parties!
Pre-Party & After Parties
A camping exclusive pre-party is held at the campsite and another is held at a local venue – usually Two Mile Bay Sailing Club, the night before the festival. This one is free entry, whereas, the after party is also held at a local venue, (this year it was at Finns Bar) and had a $25 entry fee.
Taupo Lake
Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake, and this town sides right beside it – head to the waterfront to get great views of this sprawling body of water.
Huka Falls
This unique waterfall is a great sight to see even if you’re just passing through the Taupo area, it’s a 5 minute drive away from the city centre and there’s an easy viewing point bridge to reach from a car park. From here you can continue along the walking trails or just take the photo op.
Thanks for joining me on my journey!
Le Currents was part one of a road trip to the Taranaki region of New Zealand, check out the rest of the road trip activities here!
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