Hawke’s Bay’s flagship F.A.W.C! festival paused due to funding woes

Hawke's Bay Tourism has announced F.A.W.C! Festival is going on hiatus. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hawke’s Bay’s biggest food and wine festival has gone on “hiatus” because of funding challenges.

The Food and Wine Classic, also known as F.A.W.C!, will take a break in 2025-2026, Hawke’s Bay Tourism announced today.

Since its launch in 2012, F.A.W.C! has showcased the very best of Hawke’s Bay food and drink, while attracting domestic and international visitors to the region.

However, Hawke’s Bay Tourism has said because of resource constraints and funding challenges, it has made the pragmatic decision to pause F.A.W.C! until further notice.

In December, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council announced they were dropping funding for Hawke’s Bay Tourism in June.

Then in February, Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council voted to contribute a share of the $1 million needed by the tourism agency to keep it afloat.

Napier City Council contributed $450,000, Hastings District Council contributed $462,500 and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council contributed $75,000.

However, Hawke’s Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton said because of “funding challenges”, they are not in a position to deliver the programme at the high standards they’ve established.

“We don’t want to run the risk of damaging the brand by not meeting our loyal F.A.W.C!ers’ and sponsors’ expectations,” he said.

“Hawke’s Bay’s reputation as New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country remains strong, bolstered by its global status as a Great Wine Capital. This recognition continues to attract discerning domestic and international visitors and is an accolade we will continue to build on.”

Saxton said Hawke’s Bay Tourism will continue to champion the region’s hospitality industry and promote it domestically and worldwide and he remains optimistic about the future.

“We look forward to welcoming F.A.W.C! back when the time is right, delivering the premium experiences our community and visitors have come to expect,” he said.

Clearview Estate co-owner Tim Turvey shares a wine with Kim Alebardi to promote the car boot wine tasting event during F.A.W.C! in 2020. Photo / Warren Buckland

Clearview Estate Winery co-founder Tim Turvey has run many F.A.W.C! events at his vineyard restaurant.

He was surprised by the announcement of the festival’s pause and said he will miss holding festival events at his restaurant.

“I like the creativity of it and it makes us think outside the square and it attracts people to Hawke’s Bay from around the country and overseas,” Turvey said.

“It’s been well supported, and generally all the events have been sold out.

“It has worked for us and I’ll miss it.”

Back in 2017, Kiwi celebrity chef and then F.A.W.C! ambassador Ray McVinnie said the event was world-class.

“I’ve been to a lot of these festivals all over the globe and on a world scale it’s one of the best ... if they held this in Italy they’d love it, they’d just all go nuts.

“Many of the events are sold out so I guess New Zealand must understand how good it is, but for a lot of Kiwis I think they don’t really get it.”