January belongs to the southern hemisphere. The UK and Europe are dormant, but New Zealand's vineyards, Australia's beaches and a handful of boutique runs keep festival season alive on the other side of the planet. Expect warmth, humidity, and the occasional coastal storm.
Southern hemisphere festivals run in peak summer: dry sunshine most of the time, with occasional tropical downpours or coastal cyclone remnants. Bring sunscreen, not raincoats.
Book early. Accommodation near Gisborne, Byron Bay and similar summer-festival towns sells out months in advance, and local transport thins out over the holiday period.
No major outdoor festivals. The season doesn't restart until late April. January is a good month to plan summer bookings and start lining up festival work.
ANZ summer festivals hire locally for on-site roles, with some openings for overseas workers who are already in the country. Northern hemisphere employers start posting for summer roles in late January.