The Greytown Gin Hootenanny Programme
Get ready for 10 days of riotous revelry and top-tier tastings:
Daily gin tastings and weekend masterclasses at the award-winning GDC Judgement Room
Exclusive cocktails from Greytown’s top-notch bars
Local produce markets and boutique shopping
Gin-inspired events bursting with flavour and fun.
Programme Highlight:
Blackwell and Sons National Tweed Meander – A Dapper Day Out!
Date: 19 April
Dress Code: Tweed & Dapper Attire
Location: Various spots in Greytown Village
It’s time to saddle up and suit up for a glorious, gin-infused cycle through Greytown!
This self-paced bicycle ride is a rollicking ramble of refinement, complete with gin tastings, lawn games, music and lashings of old-world charm. This year, you’re in the driver’s seat. Start when you’re ready, go where the mood takes you, and create your own unique gin-cycling meander.
How It Works:
10AM – 12PM, Collect Your Blackwell and Sons / GDC Goodie Bag @ Crop Up
Start your day at Crop Up – Greytown’s ultra-fresh, ultra-sustainable Saturday morning market. Collect your delightful goodie bag and map, and meet your charming host, Former Rear Admiral Reginald Pashley-Distiller, before setting off in fine style!
Mix and match to create your perfect meander
So many options to choose from – pick a few or do them all! But for heaven’s sake, don’t miss the Gin Fizz Party, on from 2pm.
Leisurely & Lovely: A scenic 40-minute jaunt along the Rail Trail to Woodside Station.
For the Ambitious Adventurer: Extend your ride to the Five Rivers Bridge (1.5 hours) for extra countryside charm.
Foodie stop offs: Zesty lemon sorbet refreshers, gin-infused chocolates, and juicy apples straight off the tree.
Lawn Games @ The Saddlery: Croquet, pétanque, and genteel gin appreciation
Gin Fizz Party @ Cobblestones – the perfect end to your jaunty journey, where live music, cocktails, and a Best Dressed Competition await!
Your ticket includes a Tweed Goodie Bag containing
Tweedie Rosette, self-paced event map and programme
G&T picnic cup, GDC Tweed Gin minibar edition (90mls), tonic, fresh lemon
Lawn Games at The Saddlery
Entry to the Gin Fizz Garden Party at Cobblestones
One classic G&T at the Gin Fizz Garden Party
The chance to compete for the National Title of Best Dressed Tweedie
Discounts at selected foodie stops enroute
So gather your tweed-clad troupe, mount your bicycles, and prepare for a splendid day of charm, cheer and camaraderie. Bottoms up!
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Opening Night: The Delightfully Curious Gin Cocktail Mingle
Date: Thursday 17 April
Time: From 5pm
Location: The White Swan Garden BarStart off the long weekend in style - Step into a world of vintage charm, fine gin, and delightful company as we kick off the Greytown Gin Hootenanny in style!
Choose from an irresistible selection of Greytown Distillery Co’s finest gin cocktails and classic G&T’s, alongside freshly shucked oysters and live music from local legend Charlie Matthews. Come thirsty, dress to impress, and get ready for a gin-soaked hootenanny soirée, and enjoy smooth tunes as the sun sets over the garden bar.
Pay on consumption
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The Greytown Gin Hootenanny Passport
Date: 17 - 27 April
Time: Anytime
Location: Various LocationsPick up your Gin Hootenanny Passport from any participating venue and start your gin-filled adventure! Attend events, purchase cocktails or a classic G&T, and collect three stamps to complete your passport. Once it's filled, you'll be in the draw to win a fabulous prize!
Gather your gin-loving friends, sip your way through Greytown, and celebrate in style - this is one hootenanny you won’t want to miss!
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The Royal "bathtub Jenever" - A gin dining experience
Date: Friday 18 April
Time: 6pm onwards
Location: Brac & Bow at The Royal HotelThe Royal "Bathtub Jenever" is a unique gin dining experience that explores the spirit’s rich history. From its medicinal origins in the 11th century to the "Dutch Courage" of 17th-century soldiers, gin has shaped cultures worldwide. Guests will enjoy 4 courses with mathcing gin cocktails - dishes like gin-cured salmon with fennel beetroot jam and a refreshing Pimm’s fruit lemonade while uncovering gin’s turbulent past, including the infamous Gin Craze and the rise of "bathtub gin" during Prohibition.
The journey continues with Paratha Bharwan Rogan Josh lamb, a Tanqueray Gin & Tonic sorbet spider, and inventive cocktails like the “Moonshine Bubble Bath.” Each course pays tribute to gin’s global influence, from the British Gymkhana Club’s gin and tonic to Prohibition-era speakeasies. The evening ends with a decadent Bees Knees pudding, celebrating classic gin cocktails and the enduring legacy of this beloved spirit.
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The Greytown / National Tweed Meander – A Dapper Day Out!
Date: Saturday 19 April
Dress Code: Tweed & Dapper Attire
Location: Various spots in Greytown VillageIt’s time to saddle up and suit up for a glorious, gin-infused cycle through Greytown!
This self-paced bicycle ride is a rollicking ramble of refinement, complete with gin tastings, lawn games, music and lashings of old-world charm. This year, you’re in the driver’s seat. Start when you’re ready, go where the mood takes you, and create your own unique gin-cycling meander.
So gather your tweed-clad troupe, mount your bicycles, and prepare for a splendid day of charm, cheer and camaraderie. Bottoms up!
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The Cobblestones Gin & Jive
Date: Saturday 19 April
Location: Cobblestones Heritage MuseumSpend a charming afternoon unwinding in the picturesque grounds of Cobblestones, sipping refreshing Gin & Tonics while soaking in the smooth sounds of the talented Carl Webley, of Uncle Monkey.
Indulge in delicious food, hit the dance floor, and embrace the festive garden party vibe. Dressing up is highly encouraged - think tweed-inspired elegance for a chance to win fabulous prizes!
Find out more & grab your tickets today.
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The Great Tweed Gin Dinner
Date: Saturday 19 April
Time: 6:30pm
Location: The White Swan Hotel
Price: $119Embark on a peculiar evening of gin and frivolity with The Great Tweed Gin Dinner - a lavish affair where fine dining meets spirited revelry.
Your ticket includes a delicious 4-course dinner, with each dish matched to perfection with a specially crafted GDC gin. Four delicious gin concoctions in all, showcasing different styles of GDCs award-winning gins.
Your host for the night, the hilarious Former Rear Admiral Reginald Pashley-Distiller, will be on task to ensure you get a good dressing down. Indeed, the honour of being rudely insulted by the Rear Admiral is also included in your ticket.
Dress Code: Tweed. Channel your finest vintage charm for a dapper night of decadence.
A night of exquisite food, fine gin, offensive humour and fabulous company awaits—secure your seat now! This is also the perfect addition to the Tweed Meander.
Tickets available at www.thewhiteswanhotel.co.nz
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Crop Up
Date: Saturday 19 April
Time: 9am – 12pm
Location: Truckstop Greytown, 102 Main St.Crop Up is Greytown's very own ultra-fresh, ultra-sustainable and ultra-tasty Saturday morning pop-up place to get your fresh food. It's all about crops, coffee and community.
Crop Up brings a blend of small farm suppliers, growers and local backyarders, offering their produce. As well as locally grown fruit and vegetables, there’s coffee, breakfast from Bicycle Kitchen, plus special guest pop-ups offering fresh-caught fish and other tempting products.
The picnic tables will be ready and umbrellas up. Grab your gin accompaniments - lemon, herbs and cucumbers - from the final Crop Up for the season, before it closes up for the cooler months.
Crop Up is zero waste and plastic free - so don’t forget to bring your own keep cup and bags
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Hootenanny Flash Fling at Shadow Gallery
Date: Saturday 19 April 10am - 6pm
Location: Shadow Gallery Tattoo, 64B Main StreetReady to ink the moment? The Tattoo Flash Fling at Shadow Gallery is your chance to score a killer flash tattoo in a one-day-only event.
First come, first inked! Choose from a selection of custom flash designs created just for the day. Whether it’s your first tattoo or your fiftieth, this is all about spontaneity, style, and storytelling in ink.
No bookings, just bring your best tattoo-getting energy, and enjoy laid-back tunes & good company while you wait.
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Apple Harvest Festival
Date: Sunday 20 April
Time: 10am - 3pm
Location: Molewood OrchardGather your family and celebrate the bounty of autumn at the second annual Greytown Apple Harvest Festival! This fun-filled day is all about apples, community, and countryside charm.
Wander through Molewood Meadows and enjoy:
Pick-your-own apples – bring a bag or bucket!
Delicious apple-themed treats & baked goods
Local cider and fruit wine tastings
Live music, games & activities for the kids
Food trucks & artisan market stallsEntry is FREE!
Access via 17 Mole St, Greytown or through the “secret” door in the shelterbelt at the end of Farley Ave (closest to town with plenty of parking).Come for the apples, stay for the fun - see you there!
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In Good Spirits: A Four-Course Feast
Date: Thursday 24 April
Time: From 6pm
Location: Aperitif$99pp (Dinner Only)
$130pp (With Gin Matches)An evening of elegance, indulgence, and expertly crafted flavours awaits at Aperitif, a four-course degustation designed to delight the senses.
Go on a culinary journey, as you savour four delicious courses using seasonal ingredients. Go all out and opt for the gin pairing to enjoy a curated gin match with each course.
An evening not to be missed. Limited seats available – book now via their website or email below
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Gin-spired Botanical Watercolour
Date: Thursday 24 April
Location: Greytown Art GalleryLove gin? Love creating?
Sip, paint, and celebrate at this unique watercolour workshop, where you’ll capture the beauty of gin’s finest botanicals—juniper, citrus, coriander, and more!
Paint your favourite recipe perhaps?
Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned artist, you'll be guided step by step in a relaxed, inspiring setting at the Greytown Gallery, surrounded by stunning local artwork.
No experience needed - just bring your love of gin and creativity!
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The Bootleggers’ Run – Wairarapa’s Most Notorious Run!
Date: Saturday 26 April
Time: 9am onwardsGet ready to fill ya boots for a wild, charitable adventure!
The Bootleggers’ Run ain’t for Sunday drivers! Cruise the hills and Wairarapa valley, making secret pickups at wineries, gin joints, and historic hideouts. Your contraband map will guide you to the best deals, but you better move fast - each stop has a tight window before the fuzz catches wind, it’s a race against the law - metaphorically, of course!
So shine up your bumpers, grease those tyres, and keep your flask handy - we have one rule in this game: Fill your boots… !
This ain’t just a drive - it’s a roaring prohibition road trip!
Ticket only $10. All proceeds go to Lifeflight, so while you’re having a blast, you’ll also be helping save lives.