Summer comes early this year with Auckland's Beer Festival

Beer drinkers enjoy an array of local craft brews at the The Cloud on Auckland's waterfront. Photo / Alex Burton

As New Zealand edges closer to summer, pockets of festivities are beginning to emerge - including the Beer Festival today down at Auckland's waterfront.

The two-day event that started yesterday at The Cloud in Auckland's CBD is being hosted by The Beer Spot and hopes to attract "mainstream beer drinkers" to local craft brews.

One of the directors of The Beer Spot, Jason Payn, last month told the Herald he found the word craft created a barrier for a lot of mainstream beer drinkers who think it's a drink only for hipsters or beer nerds.

"We call it great beer and try to introduce people with what we call gateway or transition beers like lagers and pilsners.

"A lot of the time, a mainstream drinker will take a punt at an awesome-looking can and it might be something really heavy that really freaks them out," Payn said.

More than 30 New Zealand breweries will be there, including the likes of Garage Project, Sawmill, Liberty, Parrotdog, McLeod's, and Epic.

Myles McMillan (right) from Parrotdog Brewery serves a punter at the Beer Festival at the The Cloud on Auckland's waterfront. Photo /Alex Burton

Tickets to the festival can be bought online and cost $50.

There are also 12 food trucks, each offering a $5 food item and alcohol-free beverage.

Payn said Steinlager, Speight's, Lion Red, all those beers were great but were what he called parameter beers.

"They're brewed within very strict parameters.

"For me they lack soul, there's no love or story in the beer. That's the part that we're trying to give to the newcomers."

Event-goers may be in luck as finer weather is on the cards for most of the day but MetService was also forecasting a chance of rain developing later in the day and possible thunderstorms on Saturday night.

Sunday brings mixed weather, and Monday and Tuesday are expected to see more rain and winds turning into strong southerlies in Auckland.

Bex Botica and James Gore enjoy the vibe at Beer Festival at the The Cloud on Auckland's waterfront. Photo / Alex Burton

Gale southeasterlies were forecast for the lower and west coast of the North Island on Sunday, and that weather was expected to move to the east coast near Gisborne and Hawke's Bay on Monday.

Most of the South Island can expect another wet weekend, with snow falling to 600-700 metres at first, gradually easing to isolated showers. On the west coast of the South Island fine weather is due to hit late on Sunday.