Marchfest 2026 – Breweries and Beer at the Heart

Breweries and Beer at the Heart

You may have heard by now – Marchfest 2026 has a new format.

So we wanted to take a moment to properly explain what that means, and why we’re excited about it.

This year, we’re putting what matters most right at the heart of Marchfest: the breweries and the beer. More than 20 independent breweries, from Nelson and across New Zealand, will be pouring their craft straight from their own stands. All up, that means 100+ beers to explore. Bliss. Have a little taster, settle in for a half, or go all in with a full pint of your favourites, it’s completely up to you.

If you’re a seasoned Marchfester, you may notice a few changes. The tasting tent has been extended to tasters available directly at each brewery stand. With beer being poured by the brewers themselves, there’s more opportunity to chat, learn, and discover new favourites at your own pace, all day long.

The ever-popular BrewZone is also getting bigger, with more sessions, demonstrations, and plenty of beer wizardry from the experts.

And of course, it’s not just about beer:

Refreshing local wine and cider will be flowing
Local artisan food trucks will be serving up festival favourites
All-day live music will keep the energy high with Danger 80s headlining, and plenty of big-hair energy for the crowd!

We’ll be sharing more as we continue to unwrap Marchfest 2026.

But for now, grab your festie-bestie and get those tickets sorted!

Cheers,
The Marchfest Team
Take me to the Tickets

Click here to find out more…