WellingtonEvents
A person holds a tool applying smoke to the top of a pint of red and yellow beer at Beervana 2023, a beer and food festival in Wellington New Zealand.

Bold brewers and bountiful brews at the country’s biggest beer bash.

Beervana is back and bringing the best craft beers to Wellington’s Hnry Stadium. Held over two days, Beervana is New Zealand’s ultimate celebration of good beer. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to know more about beer, try an interesting brew, or just have a fun beer-themed day out. 

A bartender pours a drink from a metal shaker into a pint glass with smoke covering the countertop.
Festival attendees play and watch cornhole at Beervana.
A hand picks up one of three chicken tenders, drizzled with orange sauce, from a takeaway container.
A festival attendee dances at a pop-up performance at Beerana.

From beers brewed with cryogenically frozen hops to cult breweries flying in from Japan and Australia, Beervana’s 2026 edition is shaping up to be one of the biggest and most creative. Hnry Stadium is set to become what fans affectionately call ‘the hoppiest place on earth’.   

Some of New Zealand’s biggest breweries are joined by a strong Australian contingent, reinforcing Beervana’s reputation as a trans-Tasman meeting point for beer culture. Festival Director Ryan McArthur says Beervana has long been a place where breweries come to experiment, collaborate and push the boundaries of what beer can be. “You’ve got world-class brewing sitting alongside incredible food, immersive experience, and musical and theatrical artists and people coming together from all over New Zealand and Australia,” he says.   

Returning breweries include Panhead Custom Ales, Emerson’s and Garage Project, while Canyon Brewing, Searchlight Brewing Company, Big Mountain Mead, and Neck of the Woods will make their Beervana debuts. Joining them from across the ditch are Sydney breweries One Drop Brewing Co. and Slow Lane Brewing, alongside Melbourne’s Sobremesa Fermentary & Blendery. Japan’s Yellow Monkey Brewing will also pour at Beervana for the first time.

Two people wearing white leather jumpsuits with blue and red star details do silly poses on bicycles under a Beervana sign.

You don’t have to be a cicerone (beer expert) to have a great time at Beervana. There are also food stalls with delicious , games, and performances. Drinks-wise, you can also try ciders, cocktails, or non-alcoholic beverages. 

Beervana is a unique festival that focuses on beer, is inclusive, safe, and a whole lot of fun. There are four sessions spread across the weekend. Each runs for five hours, so there is plenty of time to enjoy the vibe, learn something new, and discover an amazing brew.  

Tickets to the country’s largest beer festival are on sale now.

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Ryan McArthur, Beervana Festival Director and local guide to craft beer in Wellington.

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