Annual riverside event a hot ticket

Tickets to the Wairarapa Wines' seventh annual Harvest Festival at Gladstone riverside this weekend are again expected to sell out.

The festival showcases Wairarapa food and wine producers with nine food outlets and 16 wineries participating in the day-long festival.

Organiser Liz Pollock said Harvest was an annual celebration of northern Wairarapa wines and a wonderful family afternoon on the riverside.

"It's a celebration of all things good about Gladstone and the Wairarapa and a celebration of the end of summer."

Ms Pollock said it was not uncommon for families to bring three generations along.

"It's such a very relaxing and unpretentious setting that people do just enjoy a family picnic with food, wine and entertainment."

She expected tickets to the event to sell out by today.

Urlar Estate is one of the vineyards involved with the event.

Owner Angus Thomson said the festival was a celebration of what's to come.

"It's lovely to be here with a group of other wineries," he said.

"It showcases the wines from northern Wairarapa and a handful from Martinborough."

He said the weather was setting up for one of the "best vintages in years".

Barry Saunders, Way Out West, The Shananagans and The Noodles will perform, and a regional shuttle service will run.

The festival will be held from 11am to 5pm on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased from Ticketek.