Auckland Braces for Jam - Packed weekend

We've seen the Nines story, but what can we expect from the other events this weekend? The first is Rapture, a music concert headlined by American-rapper Eminem. That event alone is expected to draw a crowd of around 100,000. The second event, which kicked off today, is the Auckland Lantern Festival at Albert Park. The three-day event is expecting a crowd of over 100,000. What sorts of preparations are in place to ensure things go smoothly in Auckland this weekend? It seems all the logistics have been mapped out with extra man power being called in by the police and St John's. Extra public transport will be running all over. Above all, a major events operation centre was reactivated today to ensure there's little to no disruption, especially to those who won't be attending any of this weekend's three major events. Does that mean the city will be on shutdown? Not necessarily. But there will be road closures around Eden Park, Western Springs and in the CBD. People are being advised to avoid driving in or around these areas, especially around the time when the Nines and Rapture conclude tomorrow night, which is from 8pm onwards. On that note, a fleet of buses will be running through Western Springs for the 100,000 or so crowd expected at Rapture. What safety measures are there for the party-goers? The entire CBD and surrounding areas, especially around the venues, are under strict liquor bans. More officers will be out patrolling the streets. A makeshift safe zone is going up tonight and tomorrow night near the ferry terminal for intoxicated people to detox rather than burden hospital emergency departments. But the key message is to drink responsibly. Thank you for your report, Oriini Tipene-Leach.