Hokitika Wildfoods Festival

Gorse-flower wine and a brew made from rose petals inspired the first Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, and since then there's been a quest to create wilder and weirder dishes for the popular annual event.

If you don't fancy sheep's eyes, seagulls' legs and eggs, or bug larvae, there's plenty of relatively "normal" food, with local whitebait high on the list of West Coast delights.

Besides food, there's entertainment on several stages (plus a large contingent of roving entertainers) starting at 6.30pm on Friday March 12 and continuing through to late Saturday March 13.

This year the festival site has more seating, shade and toilets so festival-goers can enjoy the wacky event in extra comfort.

Contact: (03) 755 8321

On the web: Wildfoods