Two men fell from a Ferris wheel at New Zealand’s Rolling Meadows festival on January 1, 2026, and were hospitalized.

Two men were seriously injured January 1, 2026, after falling from a Ferris wheel at New Zealand’s Rolling Meadows music festival in Christchurch during its final ride. The incident occurred around 2:10 a.m. when the men, reportedly swinging their bucket, were instructed to stop by staff. The bucket tipped during shutdown, causing the fall. Both were treated in serious condition and taken to Christchurch Hospital. Event Hire, the ride operator, said safety checks were performed and reported the incident to WorkSafe, launching an independent technical review. Police noted minimal disruptions at the festival, which ran December 29–31.