Food and wine added to Wanakafest

A wine and food festival is on the programme for this year's annual Wanakafest, to be held over Labour Weekend.

Only grapes grown in the Wanaka area and food prepared by local chefs will be on the menu.

The festival will be based at Pembroke Park and will include music.

Event co-ordinator Laurel Morrison said the wine and food festival had the potential to become "a really big event, secured on our annual calendar".

The food and wine festival is on Saturday, October 23, with the better-known Rippon Vineyard, Mount Maude Wines and Cardrona Terrace Estates joining forces with two smaller outfits called Archangel and Drafters Gate.

Edgewater Resort and The Landing restaurant had already confirmed their chefs would be entering.

Wanakafest begins on October 20 with Passion for Fashion.

The programme also includes a movie night on October 21; the very popular Kahu Youth street parade on October 22; a duathlon, market and the Ruby Island Circus on October 23; and a pet parade, polar plunge and pie-eating competition on October 24.

Key sponsor Willowridge Developments is hosting the Little House of the Year Challenge on October 24, where builders and craftsmen will compete to build the best playhouse in one day.

The houses will be auctioned to raise money for charity.