A varied wine festival for foodies and music lovers

Photo / Supplied.

Tickets are selling fast for the Bridge Pa Wine Festival

Run as a collective, the festival brings together seven renowned wineries in the Bridge Pa district including Abbey Estate, Alpha Domus, Ash Ridge, Oak Estate, Paritua, Red Metal Vineyards and Sileni Estates.

With each winery putting on their own entertainment, food and wine tastings to match there will be something for everyone to enjoy on the day that runs from 10.30am to 5.30pm. One of the key selling points of the festival is that all wineries are connected by hop on/ hop off bus services throughout the day, allowing festival goers to experience as many wineries as they like, with the participating vineyards less than a five-minute drive apart.

Festival spokesperson Jason Stent, of Paritua Winery, said he is thrilled by how well the event has been received and is looking forward to the ninth festival. "We're confident that we can once again offer festival goers an outstanding day out," Stent said.

Photo / Supplied.

The Bridge Pa Wine Festival is a chance for both locals and travellers to experience what makes the Wine District unique, whilst enjoying local food and entertainment.

Stent said attendees could look forward to "lovely" reds, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc from Paritua but each of the participating wineries had something different to offer.

"Red Metal has Albariño, which is a wonderful white grape and Sileni has the largest range of wines of all the wineries with something for everyone," he said.

"Ash Ridge and Oak Estate are doing some really great stuff with syrahs and chardonnays as well, Alpha Domus have a great range of everything and Abbey Estate Cellars, besides their wines, have also got beers they make there as well, so pretty good options all round."

Stent said there were 1800 people who came to the 2022 festival, and he expected 2000 to attend this event.

Photo / Supplied.

Ticket prices start from $50 per person plus fees and include access to all wineries, a festival glass and use of the hop on/ hop off buses throughout the day.

Transport has been a big consideration to make the festival as accessible as possible with shuttle buses available from Napier, Taradale, Hastings and Havelock North on the day (starting from 10am). For those attending the L.A.B concert on the same evening, there will be a special bus service departing from Sileni at 3.30pm that will go direct to the Tomoana Showgrounds for an additional fee.

Event organisers expect an influx of attendees from outside the region with the festival falling on Wellington Anniversary weekend and encourage people to get in quick before tickets sell out. Tickets for the festival are on sale now from eventbrite.co.nz.