Courtesy Drink Inclusion for Your Pie Fest Day

The best summer plans do not begin with a spreadsheet. They begin with getting your ticket sorted, gathering your people and knowing the good stuff is already waiting when you arrive. Courtesy drink inclusion is part of every NZ Pie Fest entry ticket, so your day at Frank Kitts Park starts with a proper welcome before you set off to find the pies that deserve your vote.

It is a small detail with a big job. A drink in hand gives everyone a moment to meet up, take in the waterfront and decide where the first signature pie token is going. It also makes the ticket easier to understand. Entry gets you into the festival, a courtesy drink and the right to vote in the People's Pie competition. Your pie choices stay entirely yours.

What courtesy drink inclusion means

Every paid NZ Pie Fest entry ticket includes one courtesy drink. It is included in the ticket price, rather than added as a surprise extra at the gate. That means you can arrive knowing that your festival access, welcome drink and People's Pie voting rights are covered from the start.

This is designed for a relaxed festival day, whether you are making an afternoon of it with friends, bringing the family for an earlier visit or settling in for an evening by the waterfront. The festival runs from 10am to 10:30pm daily from 15 to 17 January 2027, which leaves plenty of time to pace yourself, compare notes and return to the pies that have everybody talking.

Courtesy drink inclusion is not a bundle that decides your food for you. It does not replace a signature pie token, and it does not mean every drink or every pie is included with entry. That distinction matters because it keeps the experience fair and flexible. You pay for the entry that suits you, receive your courtesy drink, then choose exactly which signature pies you want to back with your own token purchases.

Why the drink is included with entry

A pie festival should feel welcoming from the first minute, not like a series of small decisions before the fun begins. Including a courtesy drink is our way of making the arrival feel like part of the occasion. You have scanned in, found your crew and got something to enjoy while the serious work begins: working out which pie goes first.

There is also a practical side. NZ Pie Fest brings the bakeries taking part together in one waterfront setting, with each presenting one signature pie it is prepared to put its name behind. That is a lot of delicious pressure for anyone with a strong view on pastry, gravy, filling or the perfect ratio of all three. Starting with a courtesy drink gives you space to take a breath before you start making the calls that count.

The inclusion also makes an entry ticket more than a pass through the gate. It is access to a full public event, a welcome drink and a role in crowning the People's Pie winner. Three days. One crown. Your vote.

Your ticket, your pie plan

The ticket and token system is deliberately simple. Buy entry for the day you want to attend, or choose the three day pass if you want more time to taste your way around. Your ticket includes festival access, a courtesy drink and voting rights. Signature pie tokens are purchased separately and each token is redeemed for one bakery's signature pie.

That separation is worth celebrating. Some people will want one excellent pie and a long, laid back afternoon around the festival. Others will arrive ready to compare a range of contenders, debate every crust and take their voting responsibilities very seriously. Neither approach is wrong. You can build the day around your appetite, your budget and the people you are with.

Digital pie tokens keep those choices easy to manage. Rather than juggling cash for every order, you can use the festival's QR based system to purchase and redeem tokens. It is a straightforward way to keep the focus where it belongs: on deciding what to eat next.

If you are planning with children, remember that under 5s enter free on their own free ticket. A daytime visit can be a brilliant family outing, with room to enjoy the waterfront atmosphere without trying to turn lunch into a race. Parents can organise entry and tokens around the day that works for them, while everyone gets to have an opinion on the pie conversation.

Clear pricing keeps the day easy

Courtesy drink inclusion works best when the rest of the pricing is plain English too. A one day entry ticket is $19.90 until 10 November 2026, then $25 online. Entry at the gate on the day is $27. The three day pass is $59.70 and available online only. Each signature pie token costs $7.50.

Knowing these figures before you buy means you can make a plan without guesswork. For example, a group might each choose their own day ticket, then decide on the spot how many pies they feel like trying. Another group may buy tokens in advance of a full afternoon of friendly competition. The right plan depends on how hungry you are and how determined you are to find your personal winner.

The included drink should be viewed as part of the entry value, not a reason to rush through the gate. Arrive when it suits your day, collect your welcome drink as directed at the festival and then settle into the atmosphere. The waterfront is there for lingering, catching up and talking up the pie you think everyone else has overlooked.

Make the most of your courtesy drink inclusion

There is no need to overthink it, but a little planning makes a good festival day even better. Keep your ticket handy on your mobile before arriving, especially if your group is meeting at different times. Tickets are delivered immediately after purchase, which makes it easier to get everyone sorted ahead of the day.

Once inside, let the courtesy drink mark the start of your own pie mission. You might use that first few minutes to walk the site and see what catches your eye. You might go straight for the bakery you have been keen to try. Or you might appoint one friend as the unofficial pastry analyst and accept that their opinion will be both passionate and highly questionable.

The key is not to treat the People's Pie vote as an afterthought. Every attendee has the chance to help recognise the bakery that wins public bragging rights. Taste with purpose, enjoy the debate and cast a vote for the signature pie that earns it. This is a festival built around real public opinion, not a panel telling you what should be your favourite.

A welcome that leaves room for choice

Courtesy drink inclusion is a simple promise: your NZ Pie Fest day begins with more than entry. It begins with a welcome, a drink and the freedom to make the festival your own. From there, the only hard part is choosing where to start.

Bring your appetite, bring your strongest pie opinions and leave room for a surprise. The next pie you try could be the one you talk about all summer.