Festival Season with Humdinger Gin
South Island Road Trips, Great People, and a Whole Lot of Cocktails
There’s something special about festival season in the South Island. The days are long, the air is warm, and the calendar fills up fast. For us at Humdinger Gin, it means packing the truck, loading the bar gear, and hitting the road to share what we’ve been crafting in Geraldine.
From boutique garden fetes to full-blown gin festivals, this season has been a humdinger already.
Where We’ve Been
Hanmer Springs Fete
A beautiful alpine backdrop, thoughtful stalls, and a relaxed crowd ready for a taste. Events like this are all about connection — conversations about botanicals, how we steep, how we cut, and which gin suits which tonic.
Plan early if you want accomodation, so make a weekend of it and check it out.
Geraldine Fete & Geraldine Festival
Home turf. These are the ones that feel personal. Seeing familiar faces, welcoming visitors into our town, and watching people discover Humdinger for the first time is something we never take for granted.
Geraldine has always been about community — and festival season reminds us why we chose to build our distillery here.
Geraldine Summer Fete website.
Wanaka Fete
Lake views and laid-back energy. Wanaka crowds appreciate a well-made drink — plenty of good chats about flavour and why we do what we do, the way we do it. If you're interested in more details have a look.
Brews on the Bay
A brilliant mix of craft breweries and producers, ocean air, and a crowd keen to taste widely. For us, it’s a chance to show how gin holds its own at a festival usually dominated by beer.
They've already set a date for 2026, so check it out.
Gintastic Tai Tapu & Gintastic Geraldine
Grab a cocktail, enjoy the great atmosphere, and settle in for some amazing music. These are the events where we lean into the fun — fewer technical deep-dives, more simply enjoying a quality drink with good people. The Brad Staley Band usually features, which is a big tick in our book!
There are still some other Gintastic events this season, so check out what's still coming up.
Gin Fest Arrowtown
Central Otago brings style. Arrowtown’s historic charm paired with a modern gin crowd makes for a fantastic atmosphere. It’s always rewarding seeing South Island distillers represented strongly — and this is another festival where people are mainly here to relax and enjoy a quality cocktail. Here's the website if you're interested in next years version.
What Festival Season Means to Us
Festival season isn’t just about sales — it’s about storytelling.
It’s explaining why we rest our distillate before dilution.
It’s seeing someone’s expression change when they taste something new.
It’s watching friends share a drink and create their own humdinger moment.
And yes — it’s long days, early starts, and a lot of ice.
What’s Still to Come This Summer
We’re not done yet.
Mona Vale Collaboration Event
An elegant collaboration in a stunning setting, later this week
Brighton Beach House Collaboration Evening
Beautiful food matched with a range of Humdinger gins during a relaxed evening that speaks for itself - Friday 27th February, tickets now SOLD OUT.
Gindulgence Christchurch
Gin lovers. Curious palates. Detailed questions. This is where we can really dive into flavour — from botanical choices through to how resting time influences texture. People aren’t just tasting; they’re learning, comparing, and exploring - Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March, tickets still available.
The Bandquet
Music, energy, and a lively crowd. This year Dave Dobbyn is on the lineup — so it should be a memorable event pouring cocktails while he’s on stage - Saturday 28th March, tickets still available.
Past & Upcoming Events at a Glance
Already attended this season:
- Hanmer Springs Fete
- Geraldine Fete
- Wanaka Fete
- Geraldine Festival
- Brews on the Bay
- Gintastic Tai Tapu
- Gin Fest Arrowtown
- Gintastic Geraldine
Still to come:
- Mona Vale Collaboration Event
- Brighton Beach House Collaboration Evening
- Gindulgence Christchurch
- The Bandquet
See You There
If you’re heading to any of the upcoming events, come and say hello. Try something new. Ask questions. Tell us what you love.
Festival season is one of the best parts of what we do — because it brings people together over something carefully crafted.
Here’s to more road trips, more conversations, and more humdinger moments across the South Island.
Video: Gin Fest 2026 in Arrowtown