FAQs - for everything you need to know.

Tickets

Please see the Ticket terms and Conditions here. For any ticket issues please email events@wine-marlborough.co.nz.

  • Tickets are available for purchase from 8th August 2024.

    The VIP Retreat and The Lounge tickets always sell out really quickly, so don’t miss out - sign up here to never miss an announcement.

  • You can buy tickets in person at the Blenheim isite or online via our website here.

  • These are determined by the ticketing provider. Depending on how you pay, there may be additional card fees. These will be made clear on our ticketing platform at checkout.

  • Be sure to check your junk folder. For any ticket issues please email events@wine-marlborough.co.nz.

  • As per the Ticket Terms and Conditions, unless the Festival is cancelled, tickets are non-refundable and name changes cannot be made. Ticket refund protection is available by a third-party agent. The event is in no way liable or responsible for managing refunds. The full ticket refund protection terms and conditions can be found here.

  • A formal Ticket Return Marketplace will be available for resell closer to the time of the Event, providing the opportunity for ticket holders who cannot attend the Event to list tickets for resale to be purchased by other users. This function will be available closer to the time of the Event and only once the ticket type allocation has sold out.

    Find out more in our Event Terms and Conditions and for any help please contact us at events@wine-marlborough.co.nz

Festival Purchasing system

For your convenience the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will be using a Festival purchasing system again this year that helps reduce queues at stalls, improves access control, and supports the health and safety of all personnel on-site. No wine or food stall will accept cash or Eftpos.

You will be given a wristband when you enter the festival. Get ready for our event by topping up your wristband with credit, before you get it at the gate! Or, just top up when you get here.

Here is all you need to know about the Wayver festival payment system.

  • You will be given a wristband when you scan your ticket into the Festival.

    An RFID chip inside your wristband holds your money.

    You can top up your wristband with cash or via Eftpos, Visa or MasterCard at the onsite Top-Up booths (Festival Banks) as well as refund any money remaining at the end of the day or when you leave.

    You can also top up your wristband before the festival.

    Find out how to do this here.

  • Stop by the top-up stations to refund any remaining credit left on your wristband. Wine and food sales stop at 5.30pm and the festival finishes at 6pm so there is time to get a refund of leftover balance.

    If you forget, you can also claim your refund online up to three weeks after the event, but online refund fees will apply. For refunds and terms and conditions, please visit www.wayver.io

  • 1 Go to my.wayver.co.nz

    2 Login with Facebook or create an account.

    3 Select: ‘I'm going to an event’ and enter your ticket number (make sure to enter the ticket to the event and not any bus or Masterclass ticket numbers).

    4 Complete the online payment to top-up.

    5 When you present your ticket at the event you will be given a wristband and your balance will be loaded and ready to go!

Transport and getting around

  • Bus transport to the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival from Blenheim commences at 10:00 am, with regular departures (approx. every 20-30 minutes) from each stop until 1:00 pm.

    Tickets can only be purchased from our ticketing page here. These tickets do not need to be stop-specific.

    There are nine bus stops: Countdown Redwoodtown, 98 Wither Rd, 38 Wither Rd, 164 Taylor Pass Rd, Omaka Landing (124 New Renwick Road), Lansdowne Park, New World Blenheim (Freswick St), Seymour Square, Countdown Springlands (133 Middle Renwick Road).

    See the bus stops on a map here.

    If you're driving, we have a public onsite carpark for $10 - please pre-purchase a ticket here. Please ensure you have a sober driver and please follow all traffic management instructions.

    Sounds Connection provides transportation from Picton to the Event. Please click here to book these transfers.

  • Getting to Marlborough couldn't be easier with so many ways to travel!

    As the official Cook Strait ferry partner, Bluebridge is offering a discount to help you get to the festival and back.

    Simply use promo code MWFF25 and save 10% on all passenger and vehicle fares when travelling between 2 and 12 February 2025 (T&Cs apply).

     DON’T MISS THE BOAT, BOOK HERE!

  • There will be ‘all day carparking’ available for $10. This can be purchased here.

    The clearly marked car park area is located in the field behind the Renwick Fire Station off Uxbridge Street. Wardens will be placed to help guide you to your parking area. The festival is a short walk from the car park.

    For mobility parking, please email events@wine-marlborough.co.nz.

  • Parking will be available at 720 New Renwick Road, Fairhall from midday 7th (the day before the event) to midday 9th of February 2025. Road entry sign will be at the gate.

    Charges: $60.00 per two people for the weekend (shuttle & BBQ dinner included included).

    You must hold an event ticket.

    Your Motorhome/Caravan must be Certified Self-Contained.

    The site is pack in and pack out with only water available.

    Host Lynne & John will provide a Barbeque tea on Friday evening. To assist with catering please indicate number of person’s attending from each van.

    Please register here: https://forms.gle/ZedKgpYsiD7rc4Et8

    Enquiries and bookings can be made to Jan Hornblow via email (jhornblow1@gmail.com) or mobile (027 4676 042)

    Pets are welcome at the parking site but NOT at the event. Pets must be kept on a leash at the parking site at all times.

  • If you are a transport provider please contact our team at events@wine-marlborough.co.nz

Visiting Marlborough

  • Take a look at the Marlborough Wine Trail Map to plan where you’ll go. You can see on the map which wineries have restaurants too.

  • Visit Blenheim isite or https://marlboroughnz.com/visit for great resources on planning your visit.

  • It’s best if you stay in Blenheim or Renwick so it’s easy for you to catch buses. There are many hotels and motels but we highly recommend booking well in advance.

  • If you’re thinking about staying in your self-contained motorhome or staying in a caravan enquiries and bookings can be made to Jan Hornblow, mobile 027 4676 042 or jhornblow1@gmail.com

    Register here: https://forms.gle/ZedKgpYsiD7rc4Et8

    The carpark at the event is strictly for all-day parking. No overnight camping is permitted at the Renwick Domain on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th February 2025.

  • There are a number of other activities going on around the region to keep you entertained. Keep an eye out here for more information closer to the time.

Festival rules

Please see the 2025 event Ticket Terms and Conditions here. 

  • Yes - strictly. Infants and young children cannot be on site.

  • Current New Zealand drivers licence, HANZ 18 + card, current passport.

  • Low fold-up chairs, picnic rugs, empty water bottles.

  • NO RE-ENTRY. Once you enter the festival and leave the site, you cannot re-enter the festival.   

  • Big tables and chairs, gazebos or shade tents, big umbrellas, alcohol, food, weapons of any sort, a bad attitude or yourself if you’ve had too much to drink beforehand.

  • Talk to the wineries on the day about how to purchase their wine.

  • Shoes need to be worn, as do shirts or tops. We welcome you to dress nicely for the event as it only happens once a year.      

Misc

  • You will receive a link with an online programme for 2025 - so, at a glance, you have everything you need for the festival with you on the day.

  • It’s handed in to the Police on site throughout the day and anything left goes to the Blenheim Police Station.

  • Vegan, gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian options are available however if you have a strict allergy and need to bring your own food in, you can write an email to events@wine-marlborough.co.nz and we can provide you with an exemption letter.

  • The Marlborough Wine & Food Festival is 100% smoke-free, any patron smoking cigarettes on site may be asked to leave the event.

  • We’ll have a photographer on site taking lots of snaps, so by entering the site or having your photo taken means that we can use them for marketing and promotional purposes. If you don’t want your photo to be used, just be sure to not jump in front of the camera and politely ask our photographer to skip you.    

HANDY TIP: Wear lots of sunblock and a hat, drink lots of water and taste the delicious food on offer. Arrange your transport home in advance and remember to bring your ticket with you.

Code of conduct

We want everyone to have a great time at the festival, including all the people around you so we have a code of conduct. Upon entry to the Festival site, you’re accepting these conditions and any decisions made by the event organisers will be final.

Any unruly or drunken behaviour will not be tolerated and you’ll either be escorted to the ‘time out tent’ with St John or be escorted off site. We also have a lot of Police on site if it gets to that point.

Respect staff, especially those that are pouring your drinks and cooking your food. We all work very hard to serve all attendees and sometimes the lines do get a bit longer but your respect for staff is very welcome.

The Marlborough Wine & Food Festival is 100% smoke-free, any patron’s smoking on-site will be asked to stop and put it out. 

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Contact the team on events@wine-marlborough.co.nz