What to do when you can’t F.A.W.C.
Stephen Wong MW in Free for all Become a member to view this article
The Real Review is editorially independent. We don’t sell wine. We are free of influence from vested interests such as wine producers and sellers, and proprietors with conflicts. We tell you what we think about reviewed wines, served straight up. Our articles cover topics our writers choose because of genuine interest.
We rely on our members to publish The Real Review. Membership provides access to thousands of articles, a growing database of more than 160,000 wine tasting notes, exclusive member discounts and more.
The Hawke’s Bay wine region. NZ Wine (Craggy Range)
Hawke’s Bay wine enthusiasts will need to adjust their calendars as the region’s flagship F.A.W.C! (Food and Wine Classic) festival takes an unexpected pause for 2025-2026. The announcement from Hawke’s Bay Tourism in July cited funding challenges as the primary reason for putting the beloved event on hiatus.
The announcement from Hawke’s Bay Tourism in July cited funding challenges as the primary reason for putting the beloved event on hiatus.Since launching in 2012, F.A.W.C! has become a major part of Hawke’s Bay’s food and wine destination identity, attracting thousands of visitors across both its summer and winter series. The decision to pause leaves a vacuum and Hamish Saxton, chief executive of Hawke’s Bay Tourism, explained the difficult decision to Hawke’s Bay Today:
“We don’t want to run the risk of damaging the brand by not meeting our loyal F.A.W.C!ers’ and sponsors’ expectations.”
He emphasised that while the festival takes a break:
“Hawke’s Bay’s reputation as New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country remains strong, bolstered by its global status as a Great Wine Capital.”
In the same article, Tim Turvey, co-founder of Clearview Estate Winery (host of numerous F.A.W.C! events), said he was surprised by the announcement.
“I like the creativity of it and it makes us think outside the square and it attracts people to Hawke’s Bay from around the country and overseas,” Turvey noted.
“Generally all the events have been sold out. It has worked for us and I’ll miss it.”
Although Hawke’s Bay Wine are not directly responsible for F.A.W.C., CEO Brent Linn explains that they have a close working relationship with Hawke’s Bay Tourism and there was consultation. There are several alternative events available for wine enthusiasts and many reasons to keep Hawke’s Bay on the wine tourism itinerary. These other events may not have the region-wide scale of F.A.W.C! but they all showcase the region’s exceptional food and wine scene in other ways.
Harvest Hawke’s Bay returns on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 11am to 5pm, featuring 16 wineries paired up with local restaurants and food businesses in a stunning riverside setting on the banks of the Tuki Tuki River just further along from Craggy Range. The event manager, Liz Pollock, has also been responsible for Wairarapa Food and Wine, so it promises to be well-run and lots of fun. For more information, visit the Harvest Hawkes Bay website.
The week before that, on Friday 14th November, is Taste Hastings, an urban wine and food celebration. The event will occupy the East Block of Heretaunga Street (which will be closed to traffic), turning into a wine alley from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. There are already 25 Hawke’s Bay wineries involved with more being added, craft breweries, food trucks, live music, a DJ and even laid-back vibes at Flock Events Street Lounge for those needing a little time out. Entry is free, but there will be an option to purchase a NZD $20 tasting pass online beforehand which comes with four drink tokens and an event glass to keep. Stay up to date with the latest announcements at the Taste Hastings website.
On the other side of the New Year, The Bridge Pa Wine Festival maintains its annual tradition on Saturday, January 17, 2026, offering hop-on, hop-off bus access to wineries across the Bridge Pa Triangle district. The bus transport between venues is included in the general admission ticket, but there is also another ticket which includes bus transfers from the six urban centres in the region: Napier, Taradale, Hastings, Havelock North and as far away as Waipukurau and Waipawa.
The region continues to provide year-round opportunities for visitors to explore the region’s culinary excellence.There will be eight venues for the 2026 edition: Abbey Estate, Alpha Domus, Ash Ridge Winery, Oak Estate, Paritua Winery, Red Metal Vineyard, Zaria Wines, Bostock Wines, and Radburnd Cellars. Each venue will be offering wine (including tastings), food and live music. Doors will open at 10.30am and the festival wraps up at 5pm. As the live performing acts are confirmed, details will be updated on this website, which is also where tickets can be purchased.
These are just three of the events to keep in mind when planning a visit to Hawke’s Bay. The region continues to provide year-round opportunities for visitors to explore the region’s culinary excellence, especially with the burgeoning artisan drink and food scene which has emerged in Central Hastings, Napier and Havelock North, ensuring that it remains a must-visit destination for food and wine enthusiasts despite F.A.W.C!’s temporary absence.