Hops and Vines cheer in Majestic Square
The inaugural Hops and Vines festival will host hundreds of beer and wine connoisseurs at Whanganui’s Majestic Square next week.
Originally scheduled for March 6, recent Covid-19 alert level 2 restrictions forced the organisers to postpone until Saturday, April 17.
Organiser Gioia Damosso said despite the change of date, very few of the 300 people who had already bought tickets wanted a refund.
“It’s really cool that people can still make it, maybe because, heading into April, the event schedule seems to slow down a bit,” Damosso said.
“I think we’re still going to crack it with the weather though. We’ve moved venues from the last Taste Whanganui event [held at the War Memorial Centre forecourt], and we can’t wait to utilise the space at Majestic Square.
“It will be a similar set-up to the Whanganui Walls festival that was just there, but it will be fully fenced.”
Inside the fence will be an array of brewers, including Three Sisters and Shining Peak from New Plymouth, ParrotDog from Wellington and Kereru Brewing from Upper Hutt.
Local craft brewers Lads and Roots will also have stalls, and neighbouring Maria Lane will host a “Tuatara Takeover”.
Damosso said wineries such as Te
Aro, Cooper Creek and Cognoscente were also taking part, but beer would be the dominant tipple on display.
“Because of the postponement, we’re right in the middle of harvest at the moment, so it’s not a great time for winemakers to be leaving their vineyards. It’s all hands on decks there.”
Local acts Damn Raucous Brass, Greenfloor, and Aaron Gash and Tim Archer would provide “good beer drinking music” on the Majestic Square stage throughout the day, Damosso said.
● The Hops and Vines Beer and Wine Festival runs from 12pm to 5pm at Majestic Square on Saturday, April 17. The event is R18.