The annual Featherston Booktown celebrated its 11th year in May 2026, with a record visitor engagement of 10,000 people who came to enjoy ideas shared by 75 writers, provocateurs and presenters. The guests were hosted with the support of 140 volunteers.
Among the visitors were 500 children from South Wairarapa schools, each bearing a $20 voucher they could redeem for books of their choice. Funding raised for the book-voucher programme also supports school buses to bring children to the event.
The organisers believe the 2026 Festival was the most well-attended yet, and it also resulted in many booksellers in the region having record weekends. Also, according to survey results, the 2026 Festival has inspired a significant portion of its audience to read more New Zealand literature.
Founded as a community-building initiative, an economic model shows the event generated an estimated $2.7 million for the local South Wairarapa economy, according to a local media report.