Wairarapa festival to celebrate milestone

Event manager Liz Pollock said the Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival was not the biggest of its kind but was probably one of the most respected and popular. PHOTO/FILE

Tickets are now on sale for the 2016 Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival.

The event on March 12 next year will be celebrating its 10th birthday.

Event manager Liz Pollock said it was not the biggest of wine festivals but was probably one of the most respected and popular.

"It's interesting that in that time we've needed to change very little to keep it a successful, sell-out event.

"We had a great formula from day one and we've simply evolved the little things."

Ms Pollock said it had been "10 years of idyllic picnicking, partying, eating and wine-tasting in a stunning location".

Held annually at the "Cliffs" Riverside Reserve on the banks of the Ruamahanga River, the festival celebrates the beginning of the grape harvest season.

"It started out as a celebration of our gorgeous local wines and food, in an astonishingly beautiful location."

The event features 25 "carefully selected" exhibitors comprising wineries from Masterton, Gladstone and Martinborough and "high profile and award winning" local restaurants.

Ms Pollock said food and wine matching was an "important theme" and a Peoples' Choice Award for the best match would be introduced in 2016.

"It's a pretty special day out. First-timers to the festival are consistently amazed to discover the wonderful off the beaten track site."

Transport options, from Wellington, Manawatu and within Wairarapa, to and from the festival were available through Transit NZ, Ms Pollock said.

Tickets are available online through TicketDirect and from the Masterton and Martinborough i-sites.