The Hip Harvest Hop Festival

MarchFest is the Top of The South's celebration of locally produced craft beer, slow food and cool music | The second festival on 28 March is a great way to see out the summer, catch up with old friends and meet new ones | Don Winterton finds out what's in store


“Looking back, it was inevitable really,” says festival organiser Mic Dover. “There we were, in the middle of Nelson surrounded by all these great craft breweries and hardly anywhere had their beers on sale.” “Even today,” adds Eelco Boswijk, “we’re amazed at how difficult it is to find locally-brewed beer in a local pub.”

MarchFest is the creation of Dead Good Beer Events (DGBE), the company formed in 2006 by local craft-beer advocates Mic Dover and Eelco Boswijk. DGBE also runs the immensely popular quarterly Nelson Beer Fetes at Founders Park.

“The fetes started life as simple beer-tasting evenings for drinkers looking for more choice,” says Mic. “So we tried to create a one-night version of what we think a good pub should be like – a range of beers on tap from different breweries, convivial atmosphere, no screens, no pokies and so on. The concept has really taken off.”

“MarchFest, on the other hand,” says Eelco, “is more of a beer festival – with the key feature being the commissioning of new local beers brewed for the event, preferably with local hops. MarchFest is very different to other beer festivals that just target males aged 18+. At least 30% of our customers are women. We want to shatter the ‘wine good, beer bad’ mindset and bring craft beer into the mainstream. So it’s a celebration of good beer, music, wine, food and people. In fact, it’s a dead good beer event.”

From day one, DGBE has set out its stall as a company that is serious about encouraging responsible drinking. Mic and Eelco want to create family-friendly events, especially at MarchFest – hence the activities for kids such as movies, train rides, bouncy castles, temporary tattoos and so on.

“We want to promote the fact that the Top of The South is clearly the epicentre of New Zealand’s craft-brewing industry,” says Mic. “And we thought there should be an event that celebrates the end of the season for the country’s only hop-growing region.”

Last March, despite 12 hours of uninterrupted torrential rain after a four-month summer drought, MarchFest attracted around 1,000 people. Mic and Eelco admit they were let down by the weather, but the big positive was that those who did attend obviously loved it.

“We call last year’s show ‘MudFest’ now,” says Mic. “But this year will be virtually weatherproof. All the beers and bands will be under cover, sheltered from the rain or, more likely, the sweltering sun! We’ve also introduced a really low earlybird ticket price until 7 March to tempt people to book early.”

As well as beers, MarchFest promotes local wines, the Slow Food movement and great music.

Like the beers, the music is chosen very carefully – quality local, national and international acts. “Low-budget covers bands are definitely not on the MarchFest menu,” says Mic, himself a former professional musician. This year’s strong line-up includes acts from the UK, Australia, Wellington, Marlborough, Golden Bay and Nelson.

Headlining are local reggae giants Wicked Draw supported by funk band The Aviators, pop ensemble Sarah Brown and her band, Celtic roots band The Hobnail Boots Trio, African marimba band Chimuka and last but not least, the award-winning folk duo James Fagan and Nancy Kerr with their special guest, Australian-based singer-songwriter Kate Fagan.

MarchFest’s “pint of difference” – what makes it stand out from other beer-themed events in New Zealand – is the commissioning of new local beers. No other festival in the country does this, probably because no other region in the country has as many craft breweries as Nelson. On top of this, Nelson is also New Zealand’s only hop-growing region. Take a trip out to Riwaka, Motueka and Tapawera any time during February or March and gaze in awe at the tall and mighty hop plants swaying in the breeze.

Each year, MarchFest invites all local breweries to create brand new beers to debut at the event. Four accepted the challenge last year – Founders, The Mussel Inn, Tasman and Townshend. Those four are back again for 2009, joined by two of the region’s newest breweries – Golden Bear Brewing in Mapua and Monkey Wizard in Riwaka, smack bang in the heart of the hop plantations.

“As the new beers do not exist yet, details are still a bit hazy,” says Eelco. “Craft brewing is a bit like pottery – each creation turns out slightly, or sometimes very, different to what was expected. The brewers are being a bit cagey but have given some clues about what’s in store. We can’t wait to taste them all!”

As well as the festival beers, there will be other craft brews from around the country. These include cider from Redwood Cellars in Moutere and beers from Moa and Renaissance in Blenheim, Epic in Howick, Three Boys and The Twisted Hop in Christchurch, and Emerson’s in Dunedin.

And wine drinkers haven’t been forgotten. “We don’t have a problem with wine drinkers,” says Mic with a twinkle in his eye, “as long as they behave themselves.” So as well as the beers, MarchFest will also have a selection of fine local wines, cider, juices and, of course, great espresso.

To accompany the beverages, MarchFest has also aligned itself with the worldwide Slow Food movement. The Slow Food organisation began in Italy in 1989 as a reaction to the increasing prevalence of fast food. It aims to preserve the cultural cuisine (and the associated food, plants, seeds, domestic animals and farming traditions) within individual eco-regions.

MarchFest is going out of its way to book food and drink stallholders that use local ingredients, and positively discourages stalls that sell products that are imported or high in sugar, salt, preservatives and food colourings.

The event is also working towards Zero Waste status by 2012, and already offers stallholders “sustainability discounts”. Stallholders providing 100% recyclable, reusable or biodegradable packaging of food and drink products qualify for a 12.5% discount on their stall fee.

The sponsors for MarchFest include WildTomato, which will have a stand there on the day, selling the latest issue of your favourite magazine. Other sponsors include NZ Hops, Fresh FM, Verb Software, Dry Crust, Nelson Building Society and Yellow Design.

After interviewing Mic and Eelco, one thing is crystal clear. Don’t bother inviting these guys down to your “local” for a pint; they’ll only insist you meet somewhere else. Find a little out-of-the-way boutique brewery where real ale is quietly fermenting in its cask, or a small pub that sells beer made by equally small New Zealand breweries, and these boys are in beer heaven. They both admit, mainstream pubs make them grumpy and friends despair of them asking bar staff why they don’t stock locally-made beer.

“Most local pubs say, ‘We have Mac’s,’ but that ceased to be a local brew some time ago,” says Mic. “So we say there’s no excuse for owners and managers of licensed premises not to have a look at truly local beers.”

And to prove the point, Dead Good Beer Events is soon to open a brand new pub in Nelson, in a small converted church opposite the Indian Café in Collingwood Street. Called The Free House, the pub will live up to its name by being untied to any brewery, stocking around 14 craft beers, ciders and cask-conditioned ales.

The Free House should be open before MarchFest takes place but, if not, get your fill of some great beers, wines and bands at Founders Park on 28 March. Earlybird tickets are $15 until 7 March, after which the tickets revert to their full price of $25.

QUICK GUIDE TO MARCHFEST

Set in the beautiful, traffic-free environment of Nelson’s Founders Heritage Park, MarchFest presents craft beers, regional wines, slow food and eclectic music – Nelson’s hip harvest hop festival!

Cool stuff for kids and families – train rides, a bouncy castle, movies, temporary tattoos and more. Under-18s are admitted free if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

MarchFest is completely weatherproof – stay dry, stay chilled.

Music from Wicked Draw, The Aviators, Sarah Brown, The Hobnail Boots Trio, Chimuka, and James Fagan and Nancy Kerr (with Kate Fagan).

Beers from 12 breweries, including two real ales. Specially-selected local wines from several vineyards. Slow Food from the Nelson region’s premier cuisine producers. Plus espresso, juices, free water and more.

MarchFest takes place from midday to 9.00pm on Saturday, 28 March, at Founders Park, Nelson. Full details are available at www.marchfest.com. Get tickets online from www.everyman.co.nz. Earlybird price $15 until 7 March, $25 at the door.

THE DRINKS

Festival brews:
Fat Lip – an organic, hoppy ale from Founders Organic Brewery (Nelson).

In the Interest of Science – an “experimental style” beer from Golden Bear Brewing (Mapua).

Monkey’s Uncle – a “cheeky, spiced beer” from Monkey Wizard Brewery (Riwaka).

Easter Bunny – a chocolate manuka beer from The Mussel Inn (Onekaka).

Jose’s Cerveza Ambar – an American Amber Ale from Tasman Brewing (Richmond).

Dr Jen’s MarchFest Ale – another cask-conditioned cracker from Townshend Brewery (Upper Moutere).

As well as the festival beers, there will be seven other craft beers and ciders: Old Mout Cidré, Epic Pale Ale, Moa Marzenbier, Renaissance American Pale Ale, Three Boys Pilsner, Emerson’s Bookbinder and cask-conditioned Poplar Brown from The Twisted Hop.

Local wines:
Wines available will be from local wineries, including Blackenbrook, Kaimira, Rimu Grove, Siefried, Waimea and Woollaston.

THE MUSIC

WICKED DRAW – Seven-piece band from Nelson, formed on Waitangi Day 2001. Their eclectic style can best be described as original Kiwi roots with a touch of ragga and a dash of dancehall.

THE AVIATORS – High-flying party-funk octet. Two Aviators tracks have been used in TV3’s Outrageous Fortune, and the band is currently in the process of recording a new full-length release.

SARAH BROWN – Cool singer-songwriter from Marlborough, backed by bass and drums. Sarah is currently recording her second album and doing showcase gigs at the Marlborough Wine Festival, the Auckland Beer Festival and, of course, MarchFest!

CHIMUKA – Eight-piece African marimba band from the Motueka area, one of only two bands playing this style of music in New Zealand. The group is directed and taught by musical director Russell Matthews. Chimuka’s music is very infectious and soon gets people dancing!

THE HOBNAIL BOOTS TRIO – Celtic country-roots group from Wellington. Hobnail Boots has long been a vehicle for Wellington singer-songwriter Rob Joass and his partner in music and life, Jo Moir. From humble beginnings as a bar band, they gradually refined their skills over three CDs and worldwide touring, culminating in the critically-acclaimed On With The Show CD.

Last but not least, opening the day’s music, from the UK and Australia, we welcome the award-winning international folk act JAMES FAGAN AND NANCY KERR, WITH KATE FAGAN. In 2002, James and Nancy won the BBC Radio 2 Best Folk Duo Award. James’s Sydney-based sister Kate Fagan has also forged a successful solo career. Her debut album Diamond Wheel won the 2006 National Film & Sound Archive award for Best Folk Album.

Event timetable

12.30-13.30    James Fagan and Nancy Kerr, with Kate Fagan
14.00-15.00    The Hobnail Boots Trio
15.30-16.30    Chimuka
17.00-18.00    Sarah Brown and band
18.30-19.30    The Aviators
19.45-21.00    Wicked Draw