Foodie Festivals in NZ's Great Wine Capital
Hawke’s Bay’s dual strength as an agricultural and farming powerhouse as well as a producer of premium wine, makes it a legendary foodie playground.
The region’s unrivalled bounty ensures visitors experience the full gamut of paddock to plate, grape to glass and tree to table feasting.
It also makes Hawke’s Bay the perfect home to several of New Zealand’s most sought-after food and wine festivals throughout the year. So, what’s coming up and when should you plan your visit to the world’s newest Great Wine Capital?
New Zealand Cider Festival
November 4, 2023
A festival to celebrate all things cider! The New Zealand Cider Festival is the only dedicated cider festival in New Zealand and aims to be an annual celebration of the diversity of cider, including both traditional and new world varieties from around the country.
Festival attendees have the opportunity to taste over 100 different cider varieties from our New Zealand, enjoy all-day music, local artisan food trucks and a dedicated kids zone.
Taste Hastings
November 10, 2023
Get amongst it in 'The Stings' with Taste Hastings, an opportunity to get a taste of all the delicious businesses and products that make Hastings sing!
A night of food, wine and live-music, it’s a street party of epic proportions. The party includes 25 pop-up wineries showcasing a wide array of Hawke’s Bay wines, food-trucks in Albert Square, live music from Tropical Downbeat Orchestra, live DJ in Landmarks Square and the Flock Events Street Lounge to chill-out in. We’re taking over Heretaunga Street 'East Block' so you can kerb-hop without the traffic to taste your way down the street. Entry is free with wine sold by the taste and glass.
Urban BBQ Festival
November 18, 2023
BBQ lovers are in for a meaty treat in November when the Urban BBQ Festival returns to Tomoana Showgrounds Hastings.
Once again, the Jack Daniel’s Demo Stage hosts a full afternoon of demonstrations that will take your pitmaster skills to the next level. Brisket, ribs, butchery, lamb… you’ll see it done, learn the techniques and sample the finished product as well.
But the real stars of the show are the BBQ vendors. Local legends Black Betty Barbecue and Japanese-style robata grill masters Piku bring back their BBQ goodness. Hastings pitmasters Bareknuckle Barbeque are in, along with OG BBQ pioneers BBQ Gourmet and their giant charcoal kettles. New on the scene Mac N Cheese specialist Mac Daddy joins the party, along with Gina’s Truck, with a one-off BBQ menu inspired by South America and the Caribbean.
Harvest Hawke's Bay
November 25, 2023
Harvest Hawkes Bay will truly be a celebration of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand's Food and Wine Country.
The inaugural event will take place in a spectacular riverside setting on Tuki Tuki Rd and will feature sixteen wineries paired with nine eateries offering festival goers the opportunity to sample some of the region's finest wine matched with food produced by some of the region's award-winning chefs using locally sourced ingredients.
Bridge Pa Wine Festival
January 20, 2024
Seven wineries in the Bridge Pa Triangle Wine District of Hawke’s Bay are once again coming together to run the Annual Bridge Pa Wine Festival for the tenth year in a row.
The Bridge Pa wineries benefit from being close to each other and all wineries will be connected by Hop On/Hop Off Buses throughout the day, allowing attendees to visit multiple wineries and enjoy a wide range of wine experiences. Each winery has different offerings of wine, food, and music.
Te Awanga Wine Strip
February 3, 2024
New kid on the block for summer is the Te Awanga Wine Strip, bringing together the best cellar doors in this laidback community - Clearview Estate, Elephant Hill, and Te Awanga Estate, alongside special guests Brave Brewing, Helio Wines, National Distillery, Organised Chaos, Supernova Events, Swift Wines and Topsy Turvey Wines.
Tickets include entry to each of our wineries from 11-5pm, entertainment, music, wine glasses, transport options between wineries (bicycles, shuttles) promotional giveaways, limited tastings and more.
Summer F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic
March 15-24, 2024
F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic is Hawke's Bay's iconic culinary festival, held in stunning locations throughout the region.
When you’ve got a reputation as New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country, it goes without saying that you need a culinary festival which delivers on that promise.
Hawke’s Bay F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic fits the bill perfectly if we do say so ourselves. A glorious blend of local and visiting talent, mouthwatering produce to rival any region, enticing event themes to suit all manner of tastes, and stunning venues to showcase the lot.
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