MarchFest is a unique craft beer and music festival, held in New Zealand’s sunniest city, Nelson, at the top of the South Island. Set in the beautiful, traffic-free environment of Founders Heritage Park.
Every year around 15 regional craft breweries sign up to produce a new beer for the event. These beers all make their world debut at MarchFest. Top of the South breweries include Dale’s, Eddyline, Founders, Golden Bear, Hop Farm, Hop Federation, Lighthouse, McCashin’s, Moa, Mussel Inn, Renaissance, Sprig and Fern, Townshend’s and more.
Great live music is always a big feature of MarchFest. For 2017, MarchFest will be headlined by the hip-hop soul queen of New Zealand, Ladi6. Supporting Ladi will be festival favourites The Eastern, Welly ska band BattleSka Galactica, cool Nelson acts Not Bruce Willis, Django Schmango as well as Ragged Crow Morris and wacky ukulele artist Russ from Alaska.
And unlike other beer festivals, MarchFest is not just about beer. It’s also about local wines, ciders and juices, regional cuisine (including a beer and food matching lunch) as well as its ‘event genre mash-up’ insistence on being a craft beer festival, an indie/world music gig, a hops showcase, an educational forum for home/wannabe brewers and a family-friendly day out. MarchFest is also about creating an event where responsible drinking and good parenting go hand-in-hand – so there will be heaps of cool stuff for kids to do.
