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Visa Welly On a Plate experiences for Father’s Day (a.k.a. Dad Blog)

September 2, 2020

In this whirlwind year, you’d be forgiven for just realising that Father’s Day on Sunday (nothing like a global pandemic to keep you distracted from a regular calendar year). 

If you’re frantically running through your usual repertoire of dad gifts for the dad or dad figure in your life (socks, book voucher, ‘Best Dad Everrrr’ coffee mug), why not consider getting him an experience instead of just another ‘thing’?  

Visa Wellington On a Plate has more than 100 events taking place this October, and tickets go on sale for these on Monday, 7 September at 12pm. There’s something for all kinds of dads out there (bonus: go together and make a day of it! Kind of like how when you were a kid and used to buy your dad something that you actually wanted, lol). 

We know dads come in different shapes, sizes and with a variety of interests, so have a read through our Father’s Day Dad blog for a few Visa Wellington On a Plate Festival events and experiences that say “You’re the best dad everrrr” - no matter what day it is! 

Photography from Beervana 2019

Dads who love beer

It’s scientifically proven that most dads like beer.* (*May not be scientifically proven. But as a sweeping majority, we think that’s pretty accurate.) So treat your dad to one of the many beery events at Visa Wellington On a Plate: Fortune Favours’ Cheesemaker Meets Brewer, 50-50 and Duncan’s Brewing Co.’s Binchōtan and Brews, Sprig & Fern and Siggy’s Pies’ Beer No Evil, Pie No Evil or chow down on LBQ’s Burger Wellington burg at its month-long celebration of Belgian beer culture in the heart of the Craft Beer Capital with Little België Quarter

There’s also a little beer fest called Beervana, taking place at Sky Stadium on 20-21 November that he may like to dip his toe in (figuratively, ew). With more than 60 breweries from around NZ, he’ll love you for sending him to the happiest, beeriest place in all the land. 

Photography from newsroom.co.nz

Dads who love sports

Send your sports-lovin’ pa to what is a Visa Wellington On a Plate first - culinary/sporting heaven with Our Ground, a five-course degustation dining experience at Wellington's oldest sports ground, the historic Basin Reserve. 

Hosted by a plethora of Wellington sporting stars from The Phoenix, The Firebirds, The Blaze and the Hurricanes, as well as media commentators, he’ll be served by the likes of Ardie Savea, Steven Taylor and Jimmy Neesham, whilst enjoying entertainment and sporting interviews throughout the evening. The ultimate sporting culinary experience for the ultimate sports and culinary fan! Howzat?! 

"Cocktail & Dreams" event at Mason

Dads who love a bygone era

Does your good old dad ever wax lyrical about the heady days of power suits and long lunches in the 80s? Yeah, we all wish we can go back to that time too (2020, really putting things into perspective). Instead of hearing his story of how he and his cronies managed to dodge the boss for a whole four days whilst they lived it up at a “client meeting” at The Malthouse for the 50th time, send him off to relive those long lunches of yore with Late 80s Wellington, a four-course dinner hosted by six Welly chefs who helped establish capital’s culinary rep in the 80s. Or he can relive his party days and get his hippy-hippy shake on at Mason with Cocktails & Dreams, based on the 80s movie, Cocktail. 

Alternatively, if he really wants to take a step back in time, we suggest 180 Years- Cheers! at the Thistle Inn, celebrating 180 years of Wellington’s oldest pub. Food, entertainment and limited edition beer - guests receive a special commemorative crate bottle brewed by Parrotdog to take home as a memento. 

"BBQ Bites" event by Wilson Barbecue's

Dads who love meat (and a non-meat alternative)

Sometimes dads like to be in charge of the barbeque (doesn’t matter whether they’re good at it or not). Give him the gift of honing his carnivorial knowledge with a ticket to Preston’s Master Butchers’ Know Your Butcher, Love Your Meat, where he’ll learn about the choicest cuts of meat and the best cooking methods for them. Another meaty alternative is Wilson Barbecue’s BBQ Bites, serving up bite-sized barbecue small dishes in the style of Yum Cha.

We know all dads don’t fall into the category of “meat lovers”. So for the plant-eating dads out there, take him out to Olive’s The Progressive Herbivore, where the Olive crew pair up with the Plant Blazed crew for an exciting dining experience, which explores the world of plant-based ingredients using progressive techniques.

"Kindred Spirits" event by Hillside Kitchen's

Dads who love learning things

Dads know a lot about a lot, and they’ll tell you so too. They tend to dish out handy advice re: finances, health, motor vehicles, investment, the housing market... But sometimes there’s things they don’t know. Like how to make gin. Or how to make the perfect cheese scone. Or how to pinpoint the perfect whiskey. Or where to forage natural ingredients in the hills of Wellington... But where would he go to learn such things? Answer: Visa Wellington On a Plate

Hands-on classes and experiences such as Aurora Distillery’s Let’s Sling Some Gin Together, Pravda’s infamous World’s Best Cheese Scone Class or Hillside Kitchen’s Kindred Spirits and the Hillside Forage are where he can fine tune all these skills. There are loads of classes to join over the Festival month - dumplings, pasta, chocolate-making. Check them out, go to a class together, and you both can learn a little somethin’ somethin’. 

"Cheap Thrills" burger by Panhead 

Dads who love cooking

A Father’s day classic: the Visa Wellington On a Plate Burger Wellington cookbook, ticking the Father’s Day pressie box since 2018. With dozens and dozens of burger recipes of historical Garage Project presents Burger Wellington recipes, we reckon you grab him one of these, offer to be his culinary guinea pig, and voilà! It’s Burger Wellington all year round!

The takeaway from this is that dads love all sorts of things, and - coincidentally - Visa Wellington On a Plate has something for all kinds of dads and dad figures in our lives. We haven’t even scratched the surface in this Dad blog, so have a look at visawoap.com and get some ideas!

Grab your tickets at visawoap.com, Visa pre-sale tickets are available from midday, Monday, 31 August to midnight, Wednesday, 2 September and general tickets are available from midday, Monday, 7 September.