New Plymouth's Festival of Lights attracted nearly 200,000 visitors in two months, a figure made possible because of high-quality performances, says its organiser.

New Plymouth District Council recreation and events manager Dave Lee rated this year's festival the best of the past four he had been involved with.

The TSB Festival of Lights, which began on December 18 and finished on Sunday, attracted close to 200,000 people.

The wet weather in December meant the first three weeks of the festival failed to attract huge numbers.

However, the coupling of the lights at Pukekura Park with the day-time delights and night-time programmes meant more people were attracted throughout the week.

"We made a conscious effort some years ago, after a review, that the lights themselves are fantastic, but they are something you can only see once, or two to three times," Mr Lee said.

"Rather than having people going around and just being amazed by the lights, they are now going there specifically for events on the lawn."

Events at the Hatchery Lawn or the Fred Parker Lawn had drawn up to 600 people on a week night.

Shows such as the Taranaki country music festival, Elena, Doch and Charlotte Johansen were extremely popular.

The Doobie Brothers was the only international act at the Bowl of Brooklands in January, but New Plymouth's accommodation sector was on track for a record month, Mr Lee said.

"So people were coming here not just for the Doobie Brothers, but also for all the stuff that was coming around the Festival of Lights."

Many overseas visitors said they had never seen anything like the festival.

"They have travelled the world extensively and never seen what we do here anywhere in the world," Mr Lee said.

"It's the best that we have ever done, from an organisational point of view. From a quality point of view, a variety point of view, it's the best I have ever been involved in."