Parachute Festival

The Parachute Festival was a Christian music event, reputed to be the largest of its type outside of the United States, and longest running New Zealand music festival. Started in 1991, the festival took place over several days in late January each year. For many years it was held at Totara Springs in Matamata. However, in 2005 it moved to Mystery Creek, Hamilton. In March 2014, it was announced that there were to be no more events.

Hamilton bands that have played the festival have included Somersault, The Kumquats, Pugface, Holdfast, All Left Out, Arms Reach, Trigger Theory and Kimbra.