Events
What’s on at The Runholder
Visit us at The Runholder for not-to-be-missed events and weekly specials. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay tuned on upcoming events and the latest news.
Locals Lunch
Every Thursday
Muster your mates for our locals lunch, two delicious set-menu courses and a glass of wine for $49pp, every Thursday.
Start with warm Clareville sourdough, smoked kahawai & pickles, and kumara hummus, followed by a choice of crisp skin market fish with leek, fennel, lemon and capers or pan fried Agria gnocchi, butternut pumpkin, sage & peppered Pecorino. Enjoy with a glass of Te Tera Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Te Kairanga Estate Pinot Noir.
Savour our locals lunch set menu for $49pp every Thursday from 12-3pm. From out of town? Don't worry everyone is welcome to lunch like a local at The Runholder.
$49 per person for two-course set menu and a glass of wine.
Christmas Eve Lunch
Tuesday 24 December 12-4pm
Celebrate the festive season with spectacular vineyard views and fine fare. Indulge in our three-course set menu lunch and feast on crisp Ora King salmon or Wairarapa wood fired lamb ribs. To elevate the occasion, add on optional wine matches (3 glasses) for $45 per person.
$75 per person for three-course set menu lunch
+$45 per person add on wine matches for each course (3 glasses) - optional
New Year’s Eve Dinner
Tuesday 31 December
Ring in the New Year with an elegant evening at The Runholder. Join us for a specially curated four-course set menu dinner for $90 per person and feast on tomato & rosemary focaccia, crisp skin Ora King salmon or coal roasted Wagyu beef eye fillet and walnut toffee pie. To elevate the occasion, add on optional wine matches (4 glasses) for $60 per person.
$90 per person for four-course set menu lunch
+$60 per person add on wine matches for each course (4 glasses) - optional
Toast Weekend Opening
Gala Dinner with the NZSO
Friday 17 January 6pm
The Runholder is celebrating the opening of Toast Martinborough Weekend in style with an evening of fine food and music in collaboration with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. A string quintet of NZSO musicians will perform upbeat Latin pieces alongside a summer feast of fresh Wairarapa produce prepared by head chef Tim Smith and his culinary team.
Guests will be welcomed with canapés and aperitifs before being seated in the dining room for the ensemble’s performance of hot, dusty, fiesta-inspired pieces between three sumptuous courses of fresh fish, local meat and decadent sweets.
$130 per person (+ iTICKET booking fees) includes concert, a three course dinner, canapés and a drink upon arrival. The wines of Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Palliser Estate can be purchased in addition, alongside Lighthouse Gin cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.
Lighthouse Gin Garden Party
Saturday 18th January 2025, 12-5pm
Settle in for an afternoon of gin at The Lighthouse Gin Garden Party, back again with a new Wellington Anniversary Weekend date in 2025! Martinborough’s own craft gin, Lighthouse is starting the Toast Martinborough party early with an afternoon of music, local fine fare, Lighthouse gin & tonics and cocktails from 12pm-5pm on Saturday 18th January 2025.
Join Distiller Rachel Hall down at The Runholder cottage & shaded gardens for cocktails designed by Rachel herself. Local food trucks will be serving up their fine fare and live music will provide the perfect backdrop for dancing away the summer afternoon.
Whether warming up for Toast or looking for an excuse to get out of the city for the day, the Lighthouse Gin Garden Party is the perfect way to spend a summer’s day in Martinborough.
Tickets are limited so be sure to get in quick to avoid disappointment.
$49 (plus fees) via iTICKET includes entry, entertainment and a Lighthouse Gin shatterproof glass to keep. R18 event.
Coming over the hill or from up the road? You can add a Tranzit Bus ticket from Wellington or the Wairarapa region to make travel hassle-free on the day.
Saturday 18 January, 6pm
Join the winemakers of pioneering Martinborough wineries Martinborough Vineyard, Te Kairanga and Palliser Estate for a special Winemakers’ Dinner on the eve of Toast Martinborough.
Discover the next layer of this region’s coveted wines presented by the winemakers themselves. John Kavanagh of Te Kairanga, Tom Turner of Martinborough Vineyard and Guy McMaster of Palliser Estate have expertly selected some of their finest varieties and vintages to pair with a culinary feast. Guests will be treated to canapés and four courses of fresh local fish, prime cuts and decadent sweets, designed by The Runholder head chef Tim Smith in collaboration with each winemaker.
$170 per person (+ iTICKET fees) includes canapés, four courses and four matching Martinborough wines.
Martinborough Winemakers Dinner
Toast Martinborough
Sunday 19th January
Raise a toast to Martinborough on Sunday 19th January 2025. Make your way down the picturesque and walkable Festival Road from 11am and explore eight iconic Martinborough wineries at your leisure. Indulge in the exceptional wines, delicious food and live music offerings at six festival locations. Make the most of the long summer afternoon and dine and dance into the evening until 7pm.
Settle in for a day of delights at The Runholder festival site where we’ll be pouring Martinborough Vineyard, Te Kairanga and Palliser Estate wines. Offering prime views of the rolling hills and vineyards, it’s the perfect vantage point to immerse in Martinborough's breathtaking landscapes.
Your General Admission ticket includes:
Wristband for access to all participating winery locations
Shatterproof glass and lanyard
Access to the escorted buses running up and down Festival Road, and connecting Martinborough Square and The Martinborough Rugby Club to Festival Road.
The Runholder VIP Experience
Toast Martinborough Day - Sunday 19th January
Settle into the luxury of The Runholder VIP Lounge on Toast Martinborough day, soak up spectacular views, iconic wines and a three-course feast paired with wines.
Elevate your day with a three-course feast paired with the wines of
Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Palliser Estate in The Runholder restaurant. Choose from sittings at 12pm and 2pm.
In the Runholder Tasting Room, it’s a magnum party! Double the fun with vintage and rare wines poured from the magnum, alongside current vintages from Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Palliser Estate (additional to ticket price).
Immerse yourself in a winemaker masterclass led by the winemakers of Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Palliser Estate in The Runholder’s sunken private dining room (additional to ticket price).
Exclusive all-day access to VIP amenities including a dedicated bar serving wines in Gabriel glassware, The Runholder terrace and VIP bathrooms. Includes access to the Runholder Sundown Party from 5-8pm.
The Runholder VIP Experience for $120* includes:
Three-course feast with paired wines at 12pm or 2pm
Access to VIP amenities, dedicated bar with Gabriel stemware, outdoor terrace and VIP bathrooms
Access to The Runholder Sundown Party
Additional on the day:
Bar purchases
Masterclass tastings
Magnum pours
SOLD OUT
The Runholder Sundown Party
Toast Martinborough day - Sunday 19th January
Toast the day that was with pizza, pinot and dancing to DJs at The Runholder from 5pm-8pm.
Enjoy exclusive access to the VIP lounge, a dedicated VIP bar, VIP bathrooms and DJ. Soak up spectacular views of Martinborough’s rolling countryside from The Runholder terrace.
The Runholder Sundown Party for $35 (+ iTICKET booking & transaction fees) includes:
Access to the VIP lounge, bar and bathrooms
DJ
Additional on the day:
Food & beverages
Sundown Party access is also included in The Runholder VIP Experience ticket for $120. These are still available.
