Official Marchfest Page. Welcome to Marchfest, NZ’s big little craft beer festival | 29th March 2025
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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, the 15th Marchfest takes place on Saturday, 4th March 2023. And unlike other beer festivals, Marchfest is not just about beer, there will be a tasting bar, brewing demonstrations, a food and beer
matching lunch, children’s entertainment, delicious foods, local ciders and wines and much more. 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. It’s hard to believe such a combination can work, but the thousands of people who attend each year are testimony that it does! As well as great music and great beers, there will be a tasting bar, brewing demonstrations, a food and beer matching lunch, children’s entertainment, delicious foods, local ciders and wines and much more.
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Here they are - Marchfest 2024 official event photos 📸
Tag & share all you like!
A huge thanks once again to our favourite festival photographer Steve Hussey Photography 🙌
Fifteen South Island brewers poured their liquid courage for 2500 punters at Founders Park on Saturd...
Marchfest is going OFF! If you are not here, where the heck are you?!
Gate sales available and we still have 3 bands to go, don't get FOMO, get down to Founders Park now.
www.marchfest.com
🍻See you soon🍻, Gates open in 1 hr!
Gate sales are available now from the windmill at the front of Founders Park.
The sun is shining, the beer is cold and the bands are ready to GO!
It's MARCHFEST Day!!
Finally the day has arrived and we are all ready to welcome you to Founders Park for the 16th Annual 'Big Little Craft Beer Festival' 🍻
GATES OPEN AT 1PM
If you haven't purchased a ticket yet, Gate sales ($50) are available from 10am from the windmill at the front of Founders Park.
See you soon beer lovers!
Did you buy PRE-PURCHASED tokens? Don't forget to come and grab them BEFORE you head into the festival!
The PRE-PURCHASED token pick up booth is open from 10am today at the windmill at the front of Founders Park.
Gates open at 1pm for the festival
See you then! 🍻🍻
📲MARCHFEST APP 📲
No more pesky programs to carry around, everything you need is in the palm of your hand.
Get the Marchfest web-app now and all set for the day! Read tasting notes, view the festival map, see the music line-up and all other festival info.
All details here 👉https://www.marchfest.com/get-ready-for-marchfest
See you Saturday!
🤩Marchfest 2024 | Plan your Day 🤩
Its nearly Marchfest time - in 2 days we meet at Founders Park for the 16th annual Marchfest 'NZ's Big Little Craft Beer Festival'.. here's are few reminders to get the most out of your day!
🍻 Tickets - find them! (or buy them now 😆), Ticket Fairy is our official ticket platform. Tickets can either be printed or on your phone
🍻Download the festival app, info www.marchfest.com/get-ready-for-marchfest
🍻Sort how you are getting to/from Marchfest safely, transport options www.marchfest.com/transport-options
🍻Festival Venue is: Founders Heritage Park, Atawhai Drive, Nelson
🍻Gates open at 1pm, there is only one entry point
🍻Festival finishes at 9pm (bars close 8.30pm)
🍻 Gate sales & Pre-purchased token pick up - booth open from 10am at Founders Park in the windmill
🍻Kids under 18yrs are free, but can only be onsite until 6pm
🍻Beer info www.marchfest.com/beers
🍻Music line-up www.marchfest.com/music
🍻Festival Map & FAQ's www.marchfest.com
Did we miss anything? Hit us up in the comments or flick us a message!
See you Saturday beer-lovers, the weather is looking 👌.. lets go!
www.marchfest.com
💰TOKENS 💰
Marchfest money is in the form of tokens. This is what you buy beer, drinks and food with - easy peasy!
Each Marchfest token is worth $2
Purchase your Marchfest tokens from the Token Station inside the festival - you cant miss it!
Tokens can be purchased with cash, Eftpos or Credit Card (Visa or Mastercard), please note; a surcharge applies for Paywave & Credit card payments)
If you were super organised and PRE-PURCHASED your tokens ahead of time, you need to collect these BEFORE you come into the festival. To make things easy, the PRE-PURCHASE Token booth will be open from 10am on Saturday morning, so come down anytime and grab your tokens, so you are ready to head straight to the bar when you arrive!
More info on Marchfest Tokens here https://www.marchfest.com
Tokens can be refunded anytime during the day, up until 9pm
Don't Drink Beer? That's okay, we forgive you 😆
On Saturday at Marchfest there will be other options to suit your fancy, check them out here 👇
https://www.marchfest.com/other-drink-options
Lots of free drinking water available all around the festival, plus the awesome team from Red Frogs New Zealand will be keeping you hydrated as well!
2 days to go - grab your tickets now www.marchfest.com
🥙 FOOD TRUCKS 🌭
Our Food Truck Village is always such a highlight of Marchfest, this year is no exception!
Check out all these mouthwatering options https://www.marchfest.com/food-vendors
Grab some lunch AND some dinner, so many choices!
Food can be purchased with Marchfest Tokens and/or Eftpos/Cash (check with each vendor what they offer)
See you Saturday!
Tickets still available online now www.marchfest.com
This may just be the best piece of marketing content we have received from a Marchfest band, ever! 🤣 Watch the whole thing for an impromtu song at the end created exclusively for Marchfest
We loved this 'Festo Manifesto' , thanks Adam and THE EASTERN crew, we absolutely can not wait to have you back and rocking the Marchfest stage for another year!
In honour of The Eastern making the trip to Nelson (they are flying in from all parts of NZ) they have a double pass to giveaway - just comment below what you are most looking forward to about Marchfest on Saturday. (Winner drawn Thursday 7pm)
The Eastern are on main stage on Saturday at 6.45pm - DO NOT be late, this will be worth it 🥳🤩
A ticket to Marchfest on Saturday may just be the best decision you make this week www.marchfest.com
🍻BREWERY SPOTLIGHT 🍻
Our 15th Brewery that has brewed a brand-new beer just for Marchfest is local legends Eddyline Brewery New Zealand
They have produced a 'refreshing pale ale highlighting Riwaka and Motueka Hops finishing with a pleasant light maltiness' and they have named this creation 'Pozzy'
See you there on Saturday to try this tasty drop!
Tickets still available online www.marchfest.com
We want you and your crew to have fun on Saturday.. but we want you there and back safely!
Work out a plan now for getting to/from Marchfest, we have added some safe transport options to the website 👇https://www.marchfest.com/transport-options
Heading to Marchfest this Saturday? 🍻
Marchfest is taking over Founders Park this Saturday and the eBus is the best way to get there! Parking around Founders Park is always at its maximum during the event, so why not leave the keys at home and take the bus instead.
The eBus arrives outside Founders Park every half hour, with the last bus leaving at 7.07pm
Check out the timetable here: https://buff.ly/4aC3Qal
👨👩👧👦Kids come FREE! 👨👩👧👦
Under 18's are free at Marchfest on Saturday, but please make sure you read the below important points:
📌Under 18's are free but must be with their legal parent/guardian at all times
📌Under 18's are only permitted to be at Marchfest until 6pm
📌The main beer hall inside the Energy Centre is R18 only
📌Children in the Kids Zone area must be supervised by a parent/guardian, it is NOT a drop off zone
📌 All under 18's will be given a coloured wristband to indicate they are underage
The fun team from Wilbury Entertainment will be providing lots of fun and kids activities in our kid's zone from 1-5pm.
More info here https://www.marchfest.com/kids
To grab your tickets and add on an Under 18 ticket visit the website www.marchfest.com
We look forward to welcoming you & your family to Marchfest on Saturday!
** Competition Closed, winner has been notified via email - Congratulations to Kate Stoneman **
🍽 Ticket Giveaway 🍽
We have a double pass upgrade ticket available for 2 x tickets to the Beer & Food Matching Lunch that kicks of Marchfest 2024!
Be the FIRST to try the brand new 2024 Marchfest beers before they are released to the public, paired alongside 5 courses of decadent food & chocolate from Gourmet Catering Nelson & Aroha Chocolate
Mc'd by beer lover, beer critic & top NZ beer judge Denise Garland and the head brewer from each chosen brewery.
How to enter;
👉 you need to already have a ticket to Marchfest (grab one here if you don't have one yet www.marchfest.com)
👉 Comment below and tag in who you would bring to lunch
That's it! Winner will be drawn on Wednesday at 10am and contacted via the email address they purchased their Marchfest ticket with.
Good Luck! 🍻🍻🍻
📍SITE MAP 📍
Here's the 2024 Marchfest site map!
Did you know, Founders Heritage Park has been the location for the Marchfest beer festival for the past 16 years! Its the perfect location, lots of cool stuff to wander and look at, lots of shade and grassy areas to relax and enjoy a beer and an awesome location to dance and enjoy music!
Where will you head to first? Gates open at 1pm - here's a 🍻Hot Tip 🍻 the Tasting bar (on the back field by the huge Bristol freight plane) is the best place to start your Marchfest journey, grab a tasting paddle with up to 5 tasters of the 2024 beers, sit and sample whilst listening to local music, then head to one of the main bars!
See you on Saturday, grab your tickets NOW www.marchfest.com
🧐Frequently Asked Questions - Marchfest edition 🧐
Everyone has questions! We think we have nailed them all, but check it out and let us know if we have missed anything https://www.marchfest.com/faqs
1 week to go! have you grabbed your tickets yet www.marchfest.com
Learn about all things BREWING at the Marchfest Brew Zone!
Come and visit the Brew Zone to learn about brewing beer at home. There will be several homebrewers brewing live on their very own brew systems so you can see and talk to them about the processes and ingredients involved in making great beer. Nelson’s very own homebrew shop, the League of Brewers will also be in the Brew Zone, displaying a range of equipment and will be there to answer any questions you may have about getting set up to make your own craft beer at home.
The Brew Zone is thanks to a awesome group of volunteers + these generous sponsors;
Lallemand Brewing
Clayton Hops NZ
Gladfield Malt
League of Brewers
There is even a bar in the Brew Zone! serving up tasty brews from
Acoustic Brewery & Flavourtorium
Make sure you check out the Brew Zone at Marchfest next weekend!
https://www.marchfest.com/brewzone
Nelson
7010
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This may just be the best piece of marketing content we have received from a Marchfest band, ever! 🤣 Watch the whole thing for an impromtu song at the end created exclusively for Marchfest We loved this 'Festo Manifesto' , thanks Adam and THE EASTERN crew, we absolutely can not wait to have you back and rocking the Marchfest stage for another year! In honour of The Eastern making the trip to Nelson (they are flying in from all parts of NZ) they have a double pass to giveaway - just comment below what you are most looking forward to about Marchfest on Saturday. (Winner drawn Thursday 7pm) The Eastern are on main stage on Saturday at 6.45pm - DO NOT be late, this will be worth it 🥳🤩 A ticket to Marchfest on Saturday may just be the best decision you make this week www.marchfest.com
Book your weekend away for Marchfest 2022 and check out the top 10 places you can't miss when visiting Nelson/Tasman 🗓 Marchfest 2022 - Saturday 26 March, noon till 9.30pm 👉 Get your Earlybird tickets now for only $45 www.marchfest.com Credit: escape.video #marchfest2022 #craftbeer #ilovebeer #ilovenelson #hopharvestfestival #marchfestnz #nelsontasmannz
🎶Racing is performing at Marchfest!! Go Wild and purchase tickets now🥳🍻 👉🏽 marchfest.com 15 Brand new brews 10 Live Music Acts Cryer Malt Brew Zone FlexiTenz Tasting Bar GK Events Kids Zone Peckham’s Cider Blackenbrook Wine And more!! Sat March 20 Noon-9.30pm. Make a day of it!🍻 #marchfest #marchfest2021 #welovecraftbeer #racingtheband #flexitenzstretchtent #CryerMalt #GKEvent #peckhamscider #blackenbrookwine
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, the 13th MarchFest will take place on Saturday 14th of March 2020. Unlike ordinary beer festivals, all the beers available at MarchFest have been specially commissioned for the event and have never previously been tasted by the public.
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. It’s hard to believe such a combination can work, but the thousands of people who attend each year are testimony that it does! MarchFest is also about creating an event where responsible drinking and good parenting go hand-in-hand. There will be heaps of cool stuff for kids to do.
Warwick House Wellbeing center
Brougham Street
