The Hokitika Wildfoods Festival is held every March and has been running since 1990. It draws thousands of visitors to try foods that rarely appear on menus elsewhere: huhu grubs (the larva of a native beetle, eaten raw or fried), whitebait patties (a West Coast institution, whitebait being juvenile fish), wild venison, smoked eel, paua (abalone), and various preparations involving insect protein. The festival takes place on the showgrounds over a single weekend and combines food stalls with live music, markets, and considerable quantities of local beer and wine.
The festival is genuinely fun even for people unwilling to eat a grub. The energy is high, the West Coast camaraderie is real, and the more conventional food stalls — venison burgers, smoked fish — are excellent. Booking accommodation months in advance is essential for the festival weekend; Hokitika fills up completely and many people stay in Greymouth or Westport. Tickets are purchased in advance; gate prices are higher.