[1] Local media hyped the festival as the New Zealand version of Woodstock,[2][1] which had been held six months earlier.

While billed as New Zealand's first national music convention, Redwood 70 was an expansion of the multi-performer package tours of provincial centres, which had become popular in the mid-1960s.

[3] Two weeks before the festival, the owners of the venue, Redwood Park, attempted to cancel the event, concerned about the event's scale,[1] and in mid-January Warren's office was broken into, with thieves exploding a safe and taking $850 in cash from Warren.

Robin Gibb of the BeeGees was billed as the headline act, performing during his brief solo career away from the band.

[7] Day two of the event featured a much stronger security presence, and due to advice from the police ended three hours early.