MUSIC
The NZ Cider Festival isn't just about Cider!
Grab a Cider and relax at Main stage..
Sonar Flare - 5–7pm
Sonar Flare is a powerhouse New Zealand rock collective led by Jason Kerrison of Opshop and featuring musicians connected to The Feelers, Zed, Sola Rosa, Synthony and Kaylee Bell. Headlining NZ Cider Festival 2026 at Founders Park, Nelson, the band will perform a two-hour set blending iconic Kiwi anthems, reimagined favourites, festival classics and original material into a live experience built for singalongs, connection and serious stage energy.
“Five musicians. Decades of songs.
One unmistakable Aotearoa sound.”
— Sonar Flare
Paddy's Knob
Nelson's very own Irish band, with special guest Shanine Hermsen of Hermsen County on fiddle.
This high-energy Irish Rock & Folk four-piece bring rowdy singalongs, pub belters and pure craic to the NZ Cider Festival stage. Named after a beloved local reserve, they pack dance floors with the best of Ireland like rock classics from The Dubliners, The Pogues, The Cranberries, U2 and The Waterboys PLUS trad folk like Whiskey in the Jar, Dirty Old Town and The Fields of Athenry. Crowd participation is rarely optional.