Author: Jenine Abarbanel

Kereru Brewing and Kiwigrass

We are very pleased that Kereru Brewing of Upper Hutt have chosen to support and sponsor Kiwigrass!  Each beer purchase will go to helping support the festival so we can bring you even more music!  

Kereru have an astonishingly diverse and delicious range of beers, with varieties for all tastes and occasions.  Gluten free, alcohol free, light session ales, hop heavy IPAs all the way to heavy dark sipping ales, and everything in between!  Kereru beers will be available for purchase at the Don Rowlands Centre.  And we’d love for you to go over to their website, and sign up for their mailing list.  They are the coolest, nicest people you could ever hope to meet, and trust me, their beers are AMAZING.  (I know, because I tasted them all.  For you.  You’re welcome. You see the lengths I go to?)  And they make lovely gift boxes for all occasions!  All shippable overseas as well.  

Let’s all give Kereru Brewing Co. a warm Kiwigrass welcome and a hearty thank you for sponsoring our little festival and Bluegrass music in New Zealand!

Kiwigrass Covid Prevention Songwriting Contest

Kiwigrass is dedicated to everyone having a healthy and safe festival!  A big part of that is making sure we all do our part to avoid another Covid19 outbreak in New Zealand.  Our policies and recommendations are below.  But we have a more fun way to keep health safety at the forefront of everyone’s minds:

The Kiwigrass Covid Prevention Songwriting Contest! 

All songwriters are invited to compete.ย  All you need do is send in your name, then show up to the Don Rowland’s Center for the evening concert on Saturday to perform your song for the audience.ย  Fabulous prizes to be won!ย  Get those creative juices flowing and help your fellow festival folk stay safe and healthy!

The Kiwigrass Commitment to Preventing Covid19

Kiwigrass is committed to running a safe festival by following all guidelines in respect of Covid19. We will be working hard to keep you all well by regular cleaning of high touch surfaces, making hand sanitiser available and encouraging great hygiene during the event.
You can help by:

  • washing your hands frequently for 20 seconds and dry them thoroughly or use hand sanitiser
  • sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow
  • avoid touching your face if possible
  • encourage your bluegrass buddies to practice great hygiene
  • Check in for contact tracing either by scanning the QR code or signing in at the registration desk.

These guidelines are a good idea in general.  As many of us who have brought home bugs from festivals know, good hand hygiene and social distancing protect us from more than Covid19!  So if your mate goes for the fist or elbow bump instead of the handshake or hug, don’t take it personal, be grateful that they’re looking out for their health and yours!

The Barnyard Bangers

This Americana group is comprised of some heavyweight NZ Music Talent – all are from other groups and songwriting careers. They recently came together for a Creative New Zealand Project. The Barnyard Bangers are Gavin Dowling on Banjo; Krissy Jackson on fiddle; Cat Tunks – songwriter/Vocalist; multi-instrumentalist/guitarist and percussion player Mike Barker from ‘Swamp Thing’; and NZ’s iconic Kara Gordon on cigar box guitar.

The Bangers play songs written by Cat and arranged in a fun Country-Bluegrass style. See some of their work here: https://www.facebook.com/cat.tunks.3/videos/1015817021243688 and you can learn more about Cat Tunks at www.catherinetunks.com.