The signs are fluttering in the wind for the "bang, bang, bang" series of Wellington festivities.

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and Sevens general manager Marty Donoghue helped hang the first of 254 flags that will "dress the city in the Sevens colours" ahead of the rugby tournament, Mr Donoghue said.

Despite sluggish sales this year for the event, which usually sells out within minutes, he was confident the February 7-8 event would sell out.

Of the nearly 35,000 tickets that went on sale, only about 5000 remained.

A glitch in the Ticketek system when tickets first went on sale has previously been blamed for the slow sales. Ms Wade-Brown said the Sevens were part of a "bang, bang, bang" series of weekends in Wellington.

The Positively Pasifika festival is on at Waitangi Park this weekend.

On January 31 the Black Caps play India at the Westpac Stadium, the weekend before the Sevens.

The weekend after the Sevens, on February 15, is the Jim Beam Homegrown music festival on the Wellington waterfront.

Ms Wade-Brown stopped short of guaranteeing sunny, fine weather for the four weekends.