Kaikōura Seafest is one of New Zealand's most distinctive food festivals, celebrating the extraordinary seafood bounty of the Kaikōura coast in a one-day event that draws visitors from across the country each October. Set in the small coastal town famous for its crayfish, its whale watching and its dramatic meeting of mountains and sea, it is both a food festival and a celebration of place — of a community whose identity is inseparable from the ocean that surrounds it.

Kaikōura crayfish — or kōura — are among the finest in the world, and the festival places them at the centre of a day that also celebrates the broader seafood culture of the region. Alongside freshly cooked crayfish, visitors can sample mussels, pāua, salmon and other local produce while enjoying live music, entertainment and the spectacular scenery of the Kaikōura ranges rising behind the town and the Pacific stretching out to the horizon.

For visitors making the journey along State Highway One between Christchurch and Nelson or Picton, Kaikōura is already one of the most compelling stops on one of New Zealand's most beautiful drives. During Seafest, the town comes alive with a particular warmth and generosity that makes it an unmissable experience for anyone who loves great seafood, beautiful places and the genuine hospitality of a community that is proud of what it has to offer.