Harvest Hawke’s Bay festival to celebrate region’s wine and food

Harvest Hawke's Bay aims to celebrate everything that is still fabulous about our region's wine and food.

Harvest Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s newest food and wine festival and presents an opportunity to raise a glass to the region’s world-class producers.

It is set to take place on November 25 at a picturesque location beside the Tukituki River beneath Te Mata Peak. The festival was initially scheduled for April 1, but will proceed on the Saturday in November.

Several of the exhibitors at this year’s event were badly affected by February’s cyclone, but all are rebuilding after the unprecedented weather event.

Harvest Hawke’s Bay event manager Liz Pollock says now that six months have passed since Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke’s Bay is keen to show it’s fully open for business and ready to welcome visitors.

“It’s great that, despite a tough year for many, our local food and wine heroes are embracing the future with such enthusiasm, and are excited to be part of Harvest Hawke’s Bay,” Liz says.

“The cyclone left us devastated but not defeated,” says Olivia Walding-Karaitiana, business manager at Linden Estate Winery in Esk Valley, where some of the most severe flooding occurred.

Three other Esk Valley businesses - Valley d’Vine, Petane Wines and the Cone & Flower garden bar - will also be part of the festival.

It will be Hawke’s Bay’s first food and wine festival since the region received the honour of being named one of the 12 Great Wine Capitals of the World in May. The Great Wine Capitals include Bordeaux (France), Napa Valley (US), Bilbao (Spain) and Adelaide (Australia).

Tickets are limited to 2200, and Harvest Hawke’s Bay promises to be an intimate event for foodies and wine lovers looking for a special way to celebrate the last weekend before summer officially arrives in the Bay.

The line-up of wineries includes Black Barn Wines, Maison Noire, Paritua Wines, Crab Farm Winery, Tony Bish Wines, Petane Wines, Oak Estate, Trinity Hill, Sileni, Askerne, Smith & Sheth, Collaboration Wines, Te Mata Estate, Te Awanga, Linden Estate and Craggy Range.

The wine will be supported by food from Deliciosa, Cone & Flower, Black Barn Bistro, Valley d’Vine, Op’s Kitchen, Black Betty BBQ, Hunger Monger, Cellar 495 and Long Island Deli.

Live music, from three Hawke’s Bay bands, will run throughout the afternoon, and regional shuttle services will connect Havelock North, Hastings and Napier to the event.

Tickets are $64 and available from the Eventfinda website or harvesthawkesbay.com.