New Zealand's Food & Wine Events

By Kristy Blakeley - 17 December 2010

• JANUARY

Blues, Brews & BBQ’s, Hawke’s Bay
The festival features various stalls of brews, cider, wine and a selection of superb food. As part of your entry you are given a souvenir glass, which can be used to sample the range of boutique beers.

WETA Wine & Food Festival, Hawke’s Bay
Soak up the ambience of the WETA (We Encourage the Arts) Wine and Food Festival in Central Hawke’s Bay, with the best of Hawke’s Bay’s wine, tantalising tastes & summer jazz.

Cheese Fest, Auckland
An opportunity for the public to learn more about New Zealand cheeses, meet the people behind the cheese they eat, discover new products and revisit old favourites. Individual stations will feature over 400 of the country's finest speciality cheeses including the country's top cheddars, best blues, creamiest bries and fetas as well as some exciting new additions including blue cheese made from buffalo milk.

Otara Markets, Auckland
Year Round, Saturday Mornings
The Otara Markets are not to be missed, with their ethnic food and fresh produce, clothing, accessories, jewellery, fashion, arts and crafts and more. Auckland is the world's largest Polynesian city - experience the food and products of the city's different cultures.

• FEBRUARY

Hawke’s Bay Harvest
First weekend of February
This exciting event is designed to please all wine and food lovers. This stunning weekend in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay allows Hawke’s Bay wineries to showcase their award winning wines to visitors, whilst being entertained in all sorts of ways!!

Blues, Brews, and BBQs, Marlborough
First Saturday in February
Live bands play throughout the day giving continuous Blues, and Rhythm and Blues music. A variety of high quality food is available, BBQ treats include wild pork, local seafood, and ostrich. More than 20 breweries from throughout NZ attending, offering more than 70 beers to sample.

The Marlborough Wine Festival, Marlborough
Second Saturday in February
NZ’s premier food and wine experience. Sample the region’s finest wines and stunning local gourmet foods, while experiencing fantastic entertainment in a central location among the vines. The festival showcases around 300 wines from over 50 wineries.

• MARCH

CJ Pask Great Long Lunch, Hawke’s Bay
First Sunday of March
Dine on the region’s finest cuisine in a magical seaside setting, whilst sipping award-winning Hawke’s Bay wine from CJ Pask Winery. This unique alfresco dining experience accommodates 800 guests at a table nearly 300 metres long.

 Havelock Mussel Festival, Marlborough
Mid March
Come and join the celebration of the Greenshell Mussel industry and enjoy the tastes, sights and sounds available in Havelock – the home of the Greenshell Mussel.

Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival, Wairarapa
Mid March
Fine local wines, food and music at a beautiful riverside location.

Martinborough Round the Vines, Marlborough
Mid March
Run or walk around Martinborough’s scenic vineyards.

Hokitika Wildfood Festival, Hokitika, West Coast
New wild foods are introduced every year with such innovations as wasp larvae icecream, cucumber fish, Garlic and Gorse hamburgers, Frogs Legs Churros, Cow Tongues, Pickled Huhu's to name just a few!

Auckland Wine & Food Festival, Auckland
One of the biggest annual festivals at the waterfront.

• APRIL

Harvest Lunch Martinborough, Wairarapa
Early April
A five course gourmet meal served alfresco in Martinborough Square.

Forrest Estate Grape Ride, Marlborough
The South Island’s largest cycling event, attracting serious cyclists and recreational riders alike for a 101km circuit through some of the most stunning scenery NZ has to offer.

Gourmet Experience, Hawke’s Bay
Last weekend of April
Promoted by the Rotary Club of Taradale, this is a total ‘Gourmet Experience’ right in the heart of the province where a great deal of New Zealand’s fruit, meat, wine, oils, cheeses and produce is grown. Producers use it as a unique chance to present, showcase, promote, and sell their products direct to the public. And the public has a unique opportunity to taste, compare, buy and learn more about local products at their leisure.

• MAY

The Food Show , Wellington
Delight in a vast range of specialty products from New Zealand and beyond. There’s great coffee, organic meats, boutique wine, cheeses, chutneys and cookware to consider. Venison and seafood delicacies will be there for you to savour too, along with confectionery and international delicacies. And these are just some of the delights that await. Celebrity chefs, food writers and industry experts will share their secrets, so we’re sure there will be something in these three-day extravaganzas that will tickle your tastebuds.

Homegrown festival, Coromandel
Savour the best of food, wine and music! A huge celebration leading into Winter of the Coromandel's cuisine, wine, music and arts.

• JUNE

Hawke’s Bay Winemakers Charity Auction, Hawke's Bay
First Sunday in June
This is New Zealand’s oldest “Charity Wine Auction.” For the past 15 years it has proudly supported Cranford Hospice with more than 1 million dollars in proceeds from the donation of Hawke’s Bay very best wines. Each year the lots get bigger and better and people come from further afield to support this worthy cause. Giving, as practiced by the good Vintners, sommeliers, chefs, artist and supporters of this event, it is a celebration of themselves and the community. The wines are the very finest their makers can produce, the art, passion and knowledge infused into every drop.

• AUGUST

Whitianga Scallop Festival, Coromandel Peninsula
Pure indulgence! A weekend long celebration of Coromandel seafood and cuisine. Over 60 food and wine stalls, cooking demo’s, loads of competitions and great entertainment!

• SEPTEMBER

Hawke's Bay Regional Signature Dish, Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay Chefs use local food and beverages to create a Signature Dish featuring in restaurants around the region.

Cellar Dwellers, Wairarapa
Taste new releases and aged wines, enjoy art, music and gourmet events around Martinborough’s vineyards throughout the month.

• OCTOBER

Marlborough Sounds Water & Wilderness Festival, Marlborough Sounds
Over three distinctly different weekends this spring festival has it all, showcasing the Marlborough Sounds, one of New Zealand’s favourite playgrounds. Pick from a different focus each weekend; discover Marlborough’s wine and food, classic Queen Charlotte Track adventures, good sound family fun and creative energy.

The Marlborough Wine Weekend, Marlborough
Late October odd numbered years
Three days of new release tastings, tours and one-of-a kind meals.

• NOVEMBER

Toast Martinborough, Wairarapa
Third Sunday in November
Each year, the population of Martinborough increases tenfold as wine and food lovers from throughout the country fill the small Wairarapa town to celebrate the release of the new vintage and to enjoy New Zealand’s premium wine, food and music festival..