Gisborne’s loss of Rhythm & Vines could prove a windfall for festival fans in Hawke’s Bay.
Rhythm & Vines (R&V) organisers announced on Tuesday that the 2026-27 festival would be the last to be held at Gisborne, bringing an end to a 24-year chapter in the region.
R&V chief executive Kieran Spillane said Gisborne had been the heart and home of the event.
“We are incredibly proud of what we have built alongside the community, and deeply grateful to everyone who has helped create 24 years of New Year’s magic at Waiohika Estate.”
Details of the festival’s future location have not yet been announced. Spillane told the Gisborne Herald that it needed to be somewhere more accessible, allowing more capacity.
He told 1News the new site would be in the North Island and would involve camping.
Festival co-founder Hamish Pinkham said Hawke’s Bay had “all the right attributes”, but the announcement of the next site would come from festival owner Live Nation.
Hawke’s Bay Today asked larger local venues whether they were able and willing to welcome R&V.
The Mission Winery said that, while it had experience of hosting concerts, it needed to be considerate of its neighbours.
“So holding a multi-day event is not something we would consider.
“Additionally, we don’t have the infrastructure to accommodate people staying overnight.”
Kim Thorpe, owner of Havelock North’s Black Barn, said R&V leaving Gisborne was “a real bugger” for the region and that bigger festivals were “struggling a little” at the moment.
“If Hawke’s Bay was an option, that would be exciting for the region and we would obviously welcome it.
“However, I don’t think Black Barn could be the venue.”
It didn’t have the capacity to handle such a big event, “particularly if it was wanting to get larger”.
However, former Hastings Mayor and current Tōmoana Showgrounds Trust chairwoman Sandra Hazlehurst said the Hastings event area would be an “exceptional” new home for the festival.
“With capacity for up to 30,000 people, ample space for camping, parking and multiple live entertainment stages, and just five minutes from Hastings CBD, our venue offers the scale and flexibility major events need.”
With Hawke’s Bay’s easy access from the north and south, combined with its sunny summers, hospitality and visitor experiences, the showgrounds were already attracting interest as a destination for significant events.
“We would love to host Rhythm & Vines.”
The first artist lineup for R&V 2026 is due to be announced on Wednesday.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.