The list of celebrations and functions delayed by Delta is a long one and has just become longer as Hawke's Bay postpones its Summer Food and Wine Classic (F.A.W.C!).
Hawke's Bay Tourism said they were disappointed to delay the 10th anniversary of F.A.W.C! especially given a record-breaking number of pre-sale tickets were sold.
Initially planned for November 5-14 , the Board of Hawke's Bay Tourism pushed the event to January 28 following a consultation with the hospitality, event and food and wine industries.
The "ongoing uncertainty and risks" associated with Covid-19's Delta variant were said to be the primary cause.
Hawke's Bay Tourism Chief Executive Hamish Saxton said the safety of guests, local communities and industry had to be the priority.
"With Auckland still at Alert Level 3 and new cases emerging in other districts, we could not put people at risk by gathering event goers from around the country together for F.A.W.C!," he said.
Due to the appeal across New Zealand, Saxton said it was important to ensure visitors from various regions, including Auckland, could safely visit.
Additional time and clarity around vaccine passports would also give event organisers and ticket holders the ability to plan more confidently.
"The Government has signalled that vaccine passports could be required for future events, and this would certainly act as an added layer of security once the entire country is allowed to travel freely once again."
Ticket holders will be contacted over the coming weeks to confirm attendance and those unable to make the new dates will be refunded.
Whether you're planning on attending the rescheduled festival, or spend some of the summer down in Hawke's Bay there's plenty to do for those who love fine wine, good food, stunning bike trails and more.
Boasting more than 200km of mostly easy, flat terrain, planning an epic bike ride is easy for people of every fitness level. Or, grab yourself one of these special vehicles and make the journey even easier.
For the expert opinion on where to grab a drink, we get a winemaker's guide to Hawke's Bay, while Jesse Mulligan gives his foodie take on the region.
