Savour Northland on hiatus as plans begin for 2027

Savour Northland, the food and beverage festival that celebrates the unique flavours of Te Tai Tokerau, will be on hiatus in 2026 after ongoing funding, sponsorship and economic pressures mean the festival cannot be delivered to the scale and quality that participants, partners and visitors have come to expect.

Northland NZ (NNZ) will now work alongside industry partners to develop a stronger, more sustainable model for the festival's return.

Chief Executive of NNZ, Paul Linton, announced the decision to place the month-long festival on hiatus for 2026 but emphasised the regional economic development agency's commitment to building on the event's success and positioning it for an even stronger return in 2027.

"Our survey of festival attendees in 2025 showed that 97 per cent would return to a Savour Northland event in future years. We explored every option to deliver a 2026 programme, including a leaner festival model and increased registration fees. However, despite those efforts, we couldn't secure the support and funding needed to deliver the vibrant regional festival our industry and visitors expect. Rather than compromise the event, we're focussing on building an even stronger Savour Northland for 2027."

In 2025, Savour Northland, which runs throughout October, included more than 54 events across the region with around 2,400 Savour Northland Challenge dishes sold across 24 participating venues.

Northland NZ also acknowledged the businesses, venues, producers, sponsors and supporters whose passion and commitment helped establish Savour Northland over its first two years, laying the foundations for the festival's future.

Reflecting on the festival's successful first two years, Linton emphasised that Te Tai Tokerau has a rich and unique food and beverage identity.

"The region's producers, chefs, growers, brewers, winemakers, hospitality operators and tourism experiences shone in the spotlight of Savour Northland. The festival enabled collaboration across districts, created new visitor experiences, and demonstrated the strength and diversity of Northland's food and beverage story."

While a hiatus in 2026 is not ideal, NNZ sees this as an opportunity to strengthen the festival's foundations. Working alongside industry, partners and stakeholders the focus now shifts to developing a sustainable model that ensures Savour Northland can return in 2027 with the support, participation and resources needed to thrive well into the future.