DIARY DATES

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2 / Cromwell Food & Wine

Festival Great food and wine in the beautiful sheltered garden of the Mcnulty House, together with live entertainment from local musicians. cromwellheritageprecinct.co.nz

9 / Katikati Avocado Food & Wine Festival

Yes, there are avocados, but also great food, the best wines, lively entertainment and excellent company. Local favourite chef Shane Yardley is back with lively cooking demos. katikatiavofest.co.nz

23 / Bridge Pa Wine Festival Seven wineries in the Bridge Pa Triangle Wine District of Hawke’s Bay come together to celebrate. Each winery pairs with a local restaurant or food truck and local bands and you can hop on the shuttle buses to get around. bridgepatriangle.nz

30 / Great Kiwi Beer Festival Big things are brewing as more than 40 craft brewers and 35+ street-food vendors take over Christchurch in New Zealand’s hoppiest celebration of the craft beer industry. greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz

30 / First We Eat Tauranga cranks out another great festival with craft beer, great wine and food streets and Dave Dobbyn, too – what more could you wish for? Will you get too excited if we- say Good George, Parrotdog, the Mount Brewing Co, just to talk about the beer! firstweeat.co.nz

30-31 Gindulgence In Wellington, meet the makers and attend gin, cocktail and tonic masterclasses in the on-site Gin Theatre. Try something unique as each distiller creates a signature G&T specially for the festival. Also in Christchurch in February. gindulgence.co.nz

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6 / Central Otago Craft Beer Festival Local and guest brewers are welcomed to Alexandra for the 8th year, along with some of the many local wine-makers – cider-lovers aren’t forgotten either. craftbeerfest.co.nz

12-14 / Gincredible Grab the opportunity for a boutique celebration of craft gin and roll along to Tauranga’s Wharepai Domain to attend gin masterclasses, enjoy a delicious G&T or cocktail and enjoy free samples from a small number of artisan distillers. bopginfestival.co.nz

13 / Wellington Wine & Food Festival The festival that brings together the best of local cuisines, matched with local wineries and breweries that reflect the best of summer – sun, outdoors, fine wine, delicious food, great music and fun. wineandfoodfestival.co.nz

13 / Sunsetter Food, Wine and Music Festival Some of New Zealand’s top wineries, craft breweries and eateries converge on Smales Farm in Takapuna, accompanied by serves of an amazing selection of music. sunsetterfestival.co.nz

14 / Big Buzz Festival A day in Matakana celebrating honey bees and all things associated with them, from honey to cosmetics, from health to gardening, from conservation to environmental awareness. thebigbuzz.nz

20 / Banks Peninsula Festival

Nestled on the sun-drenched side of Lyttelton Harbour, Orton Bradley Park hosts a vibrant showcase of music, food, beverages and culture from around the region and beyond. bankspeninsulafestival.co.nz

27-28 / Gindulgence If ever you doubted that craft gin was a big thing in New Zealand, prepare to learn from more than a dozen of the country’s best – tastings, masterclasses, music and food at Christchurch’s Ilam Homestead. gindulgence.co.nz

27 / Twizel Salmon & Wine Festival A great new venue at Lake Ruataniwha for the 16th year of this festival – a day of tasting local salmon, plus beer and wine from some of the South Island’s best craft breweries and boutique wineries. twizel.info

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6 / Kegkoura Craft Beer Fest Hosted by Emporium Brewing in Kaikoura, this great little festival is purposely small with only 5 breweries to keep it chilled and relaxed. emporiumbrewing.co.nz

7 / North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival Grab your mates and head to Glenmark Domain for featured vineyards from Banks Peninsula through to Cheviot, including Waipara and Waikari and stalls from local producers, regional and Christchurch chefs and restaurants. ncwineandfood.co.nz

7 / Auckland Vegan Food Festival The second Vegan Food Festival at Corban Estate Arts Centre brings you a glory of plant-based goodness – vegan, carnivore, omnivore or herbivore, this foodie festival is not to be missed. Plus an eco marketplace featuring locally made crafts, plant-based health and beauty products, clothing and accessories. facebook.com/aklveganfoodfest

13 / Great Kiwi Beer Festival With more than 300 beers on tap, dozens of interactive workshops and beertasting seminars and the infamous live music stage, the Great Kiwi Beer Festival comes to Hamilton to bring your midsummer brewing dreams to life greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz

13 / Hokitika Wild Foods Festival Wild Food shows no signs of slowing down. World-famous West Coast hospitality, culinary ‘delights’ and the Feral Fashion contest. wildfoods.co.nz

13 / Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival Head to the beautiful, sheltered riverside setting at ‘The Cliffs’ on the banks of the Ruamahanga River – a great excuse for a day out or weekend away. wairarapaharvestfestival.co.nz