Festival selected as award finalist

The region’s beloved Wairarapa Harvest Festival has been selected as a finalist in The 25^th Wellington Gold Awards [TWGA].

Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival Carla Steed told the Times-Age they’re both excited and humbled to have Harvest Festival recognised as a finalist in the Vibrant category.

“We’re proud to be able to deliver such an iconic Wairarapa event that has been built from the ground up, showcases the world-class Wairarapa wine and food, and is now a sell-out every year.

“Wairarapa definitely punches above its weight in so many areas, and winning this award for Harvest Festival would not only be a great boost to the event itself within the wider region but also to the Wairarapa wine and food producers who are core to the Wairarapa story,” Steed said.

Harvest Festival is run by a committee of 16 winery representatives and delivered by a contracted event management company – Cactus Events.

For Harvest Festival, winning the TWGA would mean a lot. Steed said it would also be a great way of recognising everyone who has contributed to this amazing event – past and present.

As the top five finalists named in each of TWGA categories prepare for stage two, Harvest Festival is busy putting video footage together and further refining the documentation explaining the operation and achievements of the event.

Steed believes Harvest Festival’s edge is that 2,000 people get the chance to experience the festival each year, as they love the high-quality wine, food and entertainment in the laid-back and tranquil setting of ‘The Cliffs’ right beside
the Ruamahanga River.

“Our line-up of wineries are some of the most boutique in the region, and paired with local food prepared by some of the Wairarapa’s top chefs, is a match up not to be missed,” Steed said.

Meanwhile, the next Harvest Festival date is Saturday, February 17 2024.

TWGA winners will be announced at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington on August 23.