Hokitika Wildfoods Festival
© Wildfoods Festival
The Wildfoods first festival in 1990, was the brainchild of local resident Claire Bryant, an idea that evolved from a well stocked wine cellar of home made Gorse Flower and Rose Petal wine.
Popular amongst friends, the idea was born, most likely, from such a gathering of acquaintances, so in conjunction with the 125th celebration of the town a festival was started and Hokitika matured, if not only in a bottle of Gorse Flower wine. The 1990 festival attracted a crowd of1800 locals with numbers have swelled to a peak of over 23,000 in 2002. In more recent times the festival numbers have been capped to create a more environmentally friendly festival.
Each year a new range of exciting foods are up on offer, the imagination seems to be endless, don’t be frightened, there is something there for all tastes - nearly standard, gourmet, bush, out there and OH MY GAWD!
Entertainment is as good as it gets not just one stage, not just 2 stages but there’s roving entertainment all day long and are they entertaining? with out a doubt. Following on from the day, a traditional evening barn dance repeats the stage acts through to the early hours.
Tickets go on sale each year early November and are available through the Wildfoods website or through the Westland Visitor I-site. See you all there second Saturday in March every year.
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