2026 Event Findings

22 September 2026

Fieldays shares 2026 event findings

Fieldays 2026 has wrapped up another successful year at Mystery Creek, bringing together more than 132,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors across four days in June.

In 2026, Fieldays marked its 58th year, continuing to demonstrate its importance as a place for New Zealand’s primary industries to connect, do business, discover what’s new and come together.

The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has released initial insights from this year’s event, with results showing satisfaction rates of more than 95% among both visitors and exhibitors.

Richard Lindroos, CEO – New Zealand National Fieldays Society, says the results reinforce Fieldays’ position as a national strategic asset and the important role the event plays in connecting the people, businesses and ideas that help drive New Zealand’s primary sector.

“What we’ve seen this year is a real sense of confidence and positivity from both visitors and exhibitors. The results show that people aren’t just coming through the gates – they’re actively engaging, researching, purchasing and making connections that continue well beyond the four-day event.”

This year’s visitor research showed that the leading reasons for attending Fieldays were to find great deals, purchase products or services, and gather information to support future purchasing decisions.

Visitor feedback reflected the scale and variety of the event. One first-time visitor said they “couldn’t believe the sheer size of the event,” from the scale of the car parks and exhibitor sites to the number of people attending. Another said Fieldays had “something for everyone,” with so much to “see, do and be educated on” that it could easily take a couple of days to explore.

Others highlighted the sense of connection Fieldays creates, with one visitor saying it “always makes me feel proud to be a Kiwi,” while another described the event as a “great opportunity for networking within the industry.”

Exhibitor feedback was equally positive, with one saying Fieldays is an event they “genuinely look forward to exhibiting at each year,” while another described being part of the event as a “privilege” and said they look forward to returning in 2027.

Friday was the busiest day of Fieldays 2026, attracting 20% more visitors than the same day in 2025. Waikato, Auckland and Bay of Plenty remained the leading regions for attendance, while visitors from the South Island increased by more than 16%.

Fieldays continued to deliver benefits beyond commercial connections, with initiatives across transport, health and wellbeing helping make an impact throughout the four-day event.

Nearly 19,000 people used free public transport to and from Mystery Creek, a 35% increase from 2025, with most bus passengers travelling from Cambridge. The continued growth in public transport use is encouraging, providing visitors with a convenient and accessible way to get to and from the event.

At the Fieldays Hauora Taiwhenua Health & Wellbeing Hub, 1,800 free ECGs were carried out, identifying 30 people with atrial fibrillation or other abnormal heart rhythms. The Waikato Cardiothoracic Unit arranged specialist referrals or urgent GP follow-ups on site for those requiring further care.

Innovation remained a major drawcard, with the Fieldays Innovation Hub attracting around two-thirds of surveyed visitors, making it the most visited feature area at the event.

Digital tools also played an increasingly important role in how visitors experienced Fieldays. The Fieldays App recorded 2.8 million views during the event, helping visitors find exhibitors, navigate the site, pin their car location and plan their day.

Lindroos said the results provide a strong platform as the Society looks ahead to Fieldays 2027.

“We’re incredibly proud of what Fieldays continues to deliver for our exhibitors, visitors and the wider sector, but we’re never standing still. Each year, the feedback and insights we gather help shape what comes next, ensuring Fieldays continues to evolve, deliver value and remain relevant.”