After a year absent, the Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival is back on the agenda and is more anticipated than ever before.

Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival is organised by Promote Dunstan. 

Louise Joyce is secretary of Promote Dunstan and the festival event manager and has been organising it for the past 17 years.

“It's the same as previous years but at the same time, it's different,” Louise says. 

“Different musicians, different wines, different food, but it’s in the same place with the same entry prices and same atmosphere.”

“There are no particular new features this year unless you include Covid signs and hand sanitisers around the festival area. 

“Over the past 20 years we've found that we have a formula which is successful so why change it?  

“But we do have a new type of wine stall this year. Wine cocktails using local wines with various non-alcoholic mixes and, then for the first time, we have a vineyard selling methode traditionelle, a sparkling wine. 

“As far as I know, it's the first one produced in the Clyde-Alexandra-Earnscleugh basin.”

For your chance to win one of two double tickets to the Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival, simply comment on The Central App's Facebook post featuring this story and tell us why you'd like to win.

After last year's cancellation, due to lockdown, organisers are thrilled to be back, barring any repeat community outbreak.

As with festival organisers across the country, they live day-by-day waiting on any possible news of a dreaded COVID-19 outbreak. 

“If it goes ahead as planned, we will be elated,” Louise says. 

“A lot of work has been done by the festival committee and a significant amount of money has been spent to get the festival together but now is the nervous time. 

“I try not to stress but this year, it's hard not to. In addition to hoping the weather will be ok, I also have the virus and the possibility of another lockdown to contend with. 

“If we are forced back to level two, that's it. No festival.”

Louise says the festival brings several thousand people here to enjoy one of new Zealand's most unusual and historic towns. 

“The local vineyards, most of which are small and don't have the budgets for big promotions, are able to introduce their wines to people from Otago, Southland and Canterbury (usually further afield and overseas until COVID-19) and it pumps money into the local economy as well.”

As for why the festival is so loved, with many locals highlighting the date on the calendar, Louise says it could be because it is affordable and an opportunity to taste what Central has to offer. 

“Possibly because we deliberately keep the entry prices low so that people can afford to come and still have money to taste wines and try various dishes offered by the food stalls. 

“The real reason I suspect is that it has an atmosphere like no other festival. 

“It's in the middle of an 1860s gold rush town surrounded by beautiful buildings dating from that era with Central Otago's magnificient schist stone hills and mountains forming an unforgettable backdrop. 

‘And depending when Easter is held, we often have the spectacular autumn colours.”

She says people should come to the festival simply because of the uniqueness of the event as well as the phenomenal support of the local community. 

“To be part of an event unlike no other in the country,” Louise says. 

“My thanks to everyone working with me and the committee and to the people of Clyde especially those in the centre of the town. 

“Without their support, there would be no festival.”

An information pamphlet which includes details about the vineyards and a map showing where to find them and other information will be available at the entry gates and stalls.

Entry to the festival is $20 with festival glass, $15 without but you need to have a glass to buy wine. Entry for high school pupils is $10 and children aged 12 and under, are free.

EftPos is available in the Clyde Volunteer Fire Station next to the Challenge Service Station near the main entrance - There is no ATM machine in Clyde. 

A shuttle bus between Clyde and Alexandra leaves from the Alexandra Visitor’s Centre at 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1pm and costs $5 one way. 

Buses return from Clyde from 4pm with the last bus leaving about 5.30pm, – if requested this bus will travel via Earnscleugh Road. 

For more details, Visit Clyde Wine & Food Festival.

For your chance to win one of two double tickets to the Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival, simply comment on The Central App's Facebook post featuring this story and tell us why you'd like to win.