Frequently Asked Questions

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Entry to Harvest Festival for 2026 is $75 + booking fees. Shuttles or Harvest First-In tickets are additional.

Do you already have your tickets but didn’t purchase bus seats at the same time? Not to worry, you can still get a seat.

Add transport to your ticket by heading to our ticketing site and purchasing a shuttle. 

Shuttles are limited and will sell out. Book early to secure your seat.

No, unfortunately not anymore. All tickets now need to be booked online through our official ticketing link. This ensures you receive your digital ticket instantly and helps us manage event capacity accurately.

10am gates open for Harvest-First In ticket holders
10:30am gates open for Harvest Festival General Admission ticket holders
11am Wine service commences as well as food and non-alcoholic beverages, plus music will be available earlier than 11am
5pm event closes

All regional shuttle services will drop you directly at the event site.

If you’re driving, you’ll be guided to the designated car parking area. From there, free shuttle buses will run on a continuous loop from 10:45am to transport you safely to and from the festival.
For health and safety reasons, walking between the carpark and the event site is not permitted.

We’re bringing an extra dose of glamour and creativity to Harvest Festival with a Best Dressed Competition. Whether you’re attending solo, as a couple, or with a group, we invite you to showcase your best harvest-themed fashion and stand out for a chance to win fabulous prizes.

 Categories

• Best Dressed Individual
• Best Dressed Pair
• Best Dressed Group

 2026 Prizes

Couriered post-event

• Best dressed individual: 1 bottle of Wairarapa wine
• Best dressed pair: 1 bottle of Wairarapa wine
• Best dressed group: 2 bottles of Wairarapa wine

 Terms and Conditions

• Entry is free and automatic to all ticket holders.
• Winners will be selected from the crowd by a panel of judges.
  • Winners will be approached during the event by a member of the Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival to collect details for prize distribution.
  • Winners will be invited to the info booth to have their photo taken.
• The winners will be announced by the MC at the event before our final band of the day.
• Prizes will be awarded to the winner of each category. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
• By entering the event site, attendees agree to have their photographs taken and shared on festival promotional channels, including social media.
• Outfits and costumes must be safe for both the wearer and others around them. No sharp or hazardous materials are permitted.
• Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival reserves the right to modify or cancel the competition at any time.
• By entering, participants acknowledge that they take part in the competition at their own risk. The organisers, sponsors and associated entities will not be held liable for any injury, loss, or damage arising from participation in this competition.
• Judges decisions are final and no negotiation will be entered into.

As part of our efforts to look after our environment, we have decided not to print programmes this year. There will be a downloadable version of the pdf available on our website a week out from the event, we recommend you download this in advance. In addition, there will be signage to assist you in navigating the site on the day.
Download the 2025 programme.

Make the most of our beautiful sheltered riverside location and stay the weekend! There are various options available for sites adjacent to Harvest Festival. Both riverside and sheltered paddock sites are available and will be allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis.  All self-contained motorhomes are welcome however depending on the size of the vehicle owners may be directed to specific allocated sites.

We are asking people to register for sites so that we can monitor demand. To register please complete the form on the website.

• Entry will be by ticket only. Everyone 8yrs and over will require a valid event ticket. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival is a supervised event. A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under the age of 18.
• Harvest Festival runs a no pass out policy. Once you have entered the festival you cannot re-enter.
• Right of Admission Reserved – In order to facilitate the security, safety and comfort of all guests, the Organiser reserves the right to refuse admission and not provide a refund of the ticket value.
• Admission is at Ticket Holders own risk. The Organiser will not be held liable for any loss, injuries or damages sustained at this event including damage, theft or losses to property and motor vehicles, if the cause is due to the negligence of the ticket holder or the unforeseeable actions of other patrons.
• Ticket holders consent to being filmed and/or photographed for possible use in promotional material.
• No glass bottles, cans, alcohol or food of any kind may be brought into this event. Empty plastic or metal water bottles may be brought in to fill with the free water available.

• For the safety and comfort of all attendees, pets are not permitted at the festival. Registered service dogs are welcome.
• Anyone who looks under 25 years of age will be required to provide proof of age when entering the site to receive a glass and be allowed to purchase alcohol. This must take the form of one of the following types of identification:
  • HANZ 18+Card
  • New Zealand Driver’s License,
  • New Zealand or Foreign Passports
    • In addition, each vendor will recheck the purchaser’s age if they feel unsure.
• Intoxicated persons will not be served alcohol and will be required to leave the event.
• The Ticket Holder will be required to leave the venue if he or she:
  • Engages in conduct, which unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment of the event by the patrons
  • Hampers or impedes the conduct of the event
  • Breaches any by-laws or orders applicable to the venue.
• Security screening of everyone entering the venue and their bags to ensure no prohibited items are brought into the festival, including alcohol or other bottled liquids.

Harvest Festival will proceed in all weather provided it is safe to do so.

If the event needs to be cancelled or postponed for any reason, all ticketholders will be notified by email; and our website and social media channels will also be updated with relevant information.

All purchases are made using your Harvest Festival wristband.

This is given to you when your ticket is scanned upon entering the festival site.

You can skip the queues by topping up before Harvest Festival. Visit www.wayver.io and follow the prompts once top-ups open.
You can also top up onsite at the festival.

Yes. A 2.4% surcharge applies to top-ups made online or onsite using credit card or Paywave.
Top-ups made with cash or EFTPOS at the top-up station do not incur this fee.

Before you leave Harvest Festival, you can visit the Wayver Caravan to request your refund on the spot.
Alternatively, you can follow the instructions on www.wayver.io to request a refund online while the refund window is open.

Request a refund via the Wayver portal before Friday 14^th March ‘26.

Visit https://my.wayver.co.nz

1. Log in using the account you created if you topped up online pre event, or create an account
2. Type in your wristband number. This can be found on the inside of your wristband tag.
3. Enter your NZ bank account number in the correct format, and follow the prompts to complete your submission
4. All payments will be made weekly on Fridays into your nominated bank account

All online refunds incur a $2 bank fee. For further Wayver terms and conditions, visit wayver.co.nz/terms

Expect to pay around $7 for tastings, $12 for full glasses of wine, and $5 for non-alcoholic drinks. Food will start from $5.

Visit www.wayver.io for refund info and all terms and conditions.