The three-day festival was run by Parachute Music, and ran annually in late January, on the weekend before Auckland Anniversary Day.

Most people who attended stayed on-site in tents and caravans, and a large village area supplied food, amenities and band merchandise.

[4] Each year artists applied to play at Parachute which gave an opportunity for musicians to have their music heard by a large audience at a popular event.

It is classified as a non-denominational Christian event, with enforced bans on drugs or alcohol and unmarried couples being discouraged from tenting together.

It was also supported by and had partnerships with a number of businesses and organisations - Some examples are Coca-Cola, Sanitarium, V, Pepsi, Vodafone and The NZ Police.

Parachute Music worked with World Vision from 2006 until its final year to sponsor a village in Rwanda called Tubehoneza.

In 1995, the festival moved north to a larger venue at Totara Springs Christian Centre, Matamata.

[14][15] Mystery Creek Events Centre began a long-term major redevelopment in 2012, which limited gate access and venue space available for the festival.

[19] The closing set at the final Parachute Festival was performed by local metalcore/hardcore band East of Eden.

In past festivals the line up has included the likes of Krusty, Soda, Wash, Somersault, Toast, Obadiah and the Minor Prophets, Elephant, The Kumquats, Detour (180), Derek Lind, Mumsdollar, Steriogram, The Lads, Brooke Fraser, juliagrace, Kingston, Ruby Frost, Late 80's Mercedes, The Glory Sea, and many others.

A judging panel chose five bands that had entered and the decision was left to be made by public vote.