Patrons at this year’s Harvest Festival. PHOTO/FILE
BECKIE WILSON
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Masterton’s i-Site visitor centre will open an hour earlier on Monday to help manage the high demand expected for tickets to the upcoming Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival – or Harvest as people in the region call it.
Event organiser Liz Pollock said about half the people who attend are from Wairarapa and she wanted to make sure they didn’t miss out on the 2000 tickets available.
In the past, locals said they had missed out on the event because they didn’t know tickets had gone on sale.
Given the amount of interest already, coupled with the fact tickets sold out in three hours last year, “we want to ensure that locals know they are going on sale”, she said.
The 13th Harvest will be held on March 9 on the banks of the Ruamahanga River in Gladstone.
The festival will have the return of popular Wellington band, Shenanigans, along with 25 exhibitors from around the region.
Patrons can sample wine from 16 wineries such as Borthwick Estate and Urlar, as well as nine restaurants and food producers, including La Bella Italia and Don Luciano.
“Harvest showcases the really unique essence of the local wine making industry and personalities in it – and the location is stunning,” Pollock said.
“It’s terrific to see the pure enjoyment of festival-goers dancing and singing along among the trees to great songs.”
It was Masterton i-Site’s initiative to open earlier on Monday at 9am, Pollock said.
Tickets cost $57 each and can be purchased at i-Site centres in Masterton and Martinborough, and online at ticketdirect.co.nz
