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Rhythm and Vines crowd - Source: ONE News -
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Police have brought in back up from Wellington and Hawke's Bay as Gisborne's population nearly doubles ahead of the Rhythm and Vines festival.
The region has been taken over by the girls and boys of the cities but police are impressed with the behaviour of the visitors.
Legendary British DJ Carl Cox says the music he plays is an energetic combination of today's beats combined with tunes he listened to growing up.
He will take the stage just after midnight and says those at the event can expect a mixture of techno and house beats to ring in 2009.
Cox is looking forward to seeing a number of New Zealand acts at this year's festival. He says Shihad and DJ "Magik" Johnson top the performances he is eager to catch.
About 20,000 revellers have poured into the town but only four arrests were made over the first two nights.
"It's been pretty quiet. A lot of drunk people as you'd probably expect but generally the behaviour's been good thus far," Sergeant Greg Lexmond says.
Gisborne's economy is expected to be $12 million better off after the three day festival. Retailers have stocked up but say everything is going really fast.
The town is better prepared than it was six years ago when there were fuel shortages and a lack of eating places.
And the mayor is so impressed with the young folk from the city that he is eyeing them up as potential residents.
"They're in Gisborne on holiday and one day they may come to Gisborne with their young or older families and maybe set up business or live here," Mayor Meng Foon says.
But although Gisborne is happy to be invaded, it is still looking after its own with a poster advertising a locals only area to give residents a bit of a break from the masses.
