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It started as 'the most amazing party for our friends”, but has quickly become one of the biggest highlights of the New Zealand summer festival calendar.

Anyone with a passion for music, art, culture or sustainability should get their tickets now for next year's Sundaise Festival being held in Waihi from March 6-8.

Organisers for next year's Sundaise Festival being held in March, from left: Al Sorely, Rachel Sorley, Ben Holwerda (cross-legged), Matt Griffiths and Rachael Stanway. Photos: Sundaise/pushinguppixels

The festival is set in a hidden valley on private farmland on the northern edge of the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park, surrounded by native bush and a crystal clear river at Dickey Flat, near Waihi.

Much loved Wellington band Trinity Roots is headlining the festival and is one of 60 acts performing, which also includes Sorceress, Tali, The Nomad, Swamp Thing, Regan Perry and many more.

If that wasn't enough, along with more than 60 hours of music the festival also offers art installations, workshops, market stalls, free camping – the list goes on and on.

Sundaise is also a family-friendly event and offers a dedicated children's area with activities like storytelling, puppet shows, music workshops and games.

There are only 1000 tickets available for the three-day boutique event and festival director Rachael Stanway says sales are already going crazy.

'For the first two festivals we organised the most amazing party for our friends. It was just a labour of love really.

'It's really been since 2013 that Sundaise took off and became public and it's gone crazy ever since. Tickets for 2015 are selling really quickly.”

A feature of Sundaise is the fact that it's funded purely on ticket sales alone and receives no corporate sponsorship even though the organisers have had plenty of offers.

It also focuses on the environment and sustainability, which has certainly not gone unnoticed.

Sundaise has been nominated for the 2014 NZI Sustainable Business Network Award being held next week and is one of five finalists in the Mega-Efficiency – Impact category.

'Sundaise is so sustainable we built our own composting toilet and we don't have any chemical toilets on site,” says Rachael.

'We also had a solar powered generator built for our festival so we can run some of our events off the grid.”

Rachael says the festival's programme continues to grow by the week and more announcements will be made over the months leading up to Sundaise.

Early bird tickets are on sale now but only until December 1 or once tickets are all sold out.

The 2015 Sundaise Festival is on at Dickey Flat in Waihi from March 6-8 next year.

Early bird tickets cost $129 for adults, $30 for youths (13 – 17 years old), $10 for children (5 – 12 years old) and $288 for a family (2 x adults & 3 x child/youth). Entry is free for children under five.

Early bird tickets last until December 1 or until sold out.

Sundaise offers free camping on site to ticket holders and the event is BYO alcohol. No glass allowed.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.sundaise.co.nz