Hawke's Bay's Summer F.A.W.C! to welcome cider festival for first time

This year's Summer F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic will run from November 5 to 14. Photo File

Hawke's Bay's signature culinary festival F.A.W.C! will welcome its 10th anniversary with the announcement of the summer series' first event – the New Zealand Cider Festival.

Hosted in the North Island for the first time, the New Zealand Cider Festival will be held at the Showgrounds Hawke's Bay Tomoana on Saturday, November 13, 2021.

Summer F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic will run from November 5 to 14, 2021.

Held in Nelson for the last five years, the cider festival will now alternate venues between Nelson and Hawke's Bay each year.

"Rotating between these two locations will bring cider to as wide an audience as possible, showcase New Zealand's two main cider growing regions, and will help ensure the longevity and impact of the event in support of our thriving cider industry," said Shelley Haring, managing director of Nelson Venues & Events, the company that delivers the cider festival.

"We are delighted to see the NZ Fruit Wine & Cider Association's plans coming to fruition and we are excited to deliver the event for them in the Hawke's Bay region in 2021."

Hawke's Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton says the inclusion of the New Zealand Cider Festival within F.A.W.C! will highlight the breadth and quality of the craft beverages offering in Hawke's Bay.

"Hawke's Bay is well known as a fantastic wine growing region, but F.A.W.C! helps to also showcase the talented craft brewers who call Hawke's Bay home," Saxton said.

"Our region is New Zealand's largest producer of apples, so naturally we have some very clever people making incredible ciders here, and it is wonderful to have the festival draw attention to what they, and other New Zealand cider producers, are doing."

The cider festival is family friendly and offers a range of entertainment, including excellent music, educational talks, tastings and a popular children's entertainment area.

*Tickets for the New Zealand Cider Festival are on sale and can be purchased through https://www.nzciderfestival.com/.