Earth. Food. Flow.

Rise Festival 2027 is a three-day family-focused community festival bringing together food, culture, music, dance, workshops, health and wellbeing, environmental awareness, local enterprise, and community connection.

Born from the foundations and community spirit of the Kai Festival, Rise Festival represents the next stage of growth: a larger, immersive event designed to celebrate the people, cultures, land, food, creativity, and wellbeing of Motueka and the wider Top of the South.

The festival is grounded in three simple themes:
Soil represents our connection to the land, orchards, growers, food production, nourishment, sustainability, and the environment.

Sun represents vitality, energy, movement, dance, creativity, and celebration.

Community represents connection, family, culture, belonging, participation, and the strength that comes from bringing people together.

Rise Festival will create a vibrant programme of live music, dance, entertainment, kapa haka and cultural performances, local food, market stalls, family activities, workshops, demonstrations, movement experiences, and health and wellbeing education.

A dedicated Health and Wellbeing Zone will offer practical workshops and experiences for children, teenagers, adults, and families. The programme will include opportunities to explore physical wellbeing, mental and emotional wellbeing, movement, nutrition, healthy lifestyles, personal development, creativity, connection, and practical tools that people can take back into their everyday lives.

Workshops are a central part of the Rise Festival vision. Rather than people simply attending and watching, the festival will encourage participation, learning, and shared experiences. Workshops will provide opportunities for local practitioners, educators, community organisations, coaches, facilitators, artists, growers, and wellbeing professionals to share their knowledge and skills.

The festival will also celebrate Motueka's strong connection to food and the land by creating opportunities for local growers, producers, food businesses, artisans, and community groups to showcase what they do.

At the heart of Rise Festival is a commitment to inclusion. The festival will welcome people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures, creating opportunities for intergenerational and intercultural connection through shared food, music, dance, storytelling, performance, workshops, and celebration.

Family camping will add another dimension to the festival, allowing visitors to stay, connect, and experience the event as a genuine three-day community gathering rather than simply attending for a few hours.

The vision for Rise Festival is to grow into the largest family-focused festival in the Top of the South Island and become a significant annual event for Motueka and the wider region.

By attracting visitors while strongly supporting local participation, the festival aims to create benefits beyond the event itself. These include increased opportunities for local businesses, food producers, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses, performers, artists, community organisations, and tourism operators.

The name Rise represents growth, possibility, integration, and positive change.

Rise Festival is not about escaping everyday life. It is about helping people reconnect with what matters: their health, their families, their community, their creativity, and the natural environment around them.