Aaron Akkerman with his prize winning pumpkin at the Marton Harvest Festival.

Monster pumpkins, roaring engines and tasty treats will keep crowds happy at Marton's annual Harvest Fair.

The event attracted an estimated 5000 people last year and is returning to Marton Park on March 26.

Organiser Cath Ash was expecting over 160 stalls crammed with food and collectables, music and entertainment.

supplied Keith Berrett demonstrated is dogs' geese-herding skills at the Marton Harvest Festival.

"This is our day to celebrate our history, our heritage, our culture and our identity as a rural New Zealand town," she said.

"It is our day to celebrate our harvest in the myriad forms it takes in our region. It is a day to let our hair down, to picnic together, enjoy the music and find all the gifts we need for the family."

With stalls for everything from pickles and jams to garden ornaments and jewellery, Ash said there would be something for everyone.

Warwick Smith/ Fairfax NZ. Guy Petersen, 13, from Hunterville tries his hand with a two-man cross-cut saw.

"Ever heard of goose herding? Well, you soon will," she said.

Ash said Marton also had a fascinating history with beer, and would be holding a home brew competition.

"Marton is the malting capital of New Zealand," she said. "One of Marton's favourite pastimes is home brewing, maybe born from our origins.

"Originally our town was set up a few miles down the road until someone suggested we should be a dry town. So, many rebellious locals uplifted all their belongings and moved further up the road and established Marton town as well as some pretty impressive stills.

"Marton is also home to Malteurop, New Zealand's largest malting plant."

There would also be wood chopping demonstrations and vintage displays, which Ash said were both instrumental in foraging Marton.

Winsome Lost from Palmerston North will be bringing their brand of renegade American folk music for a toe-tapping, knee-raising time.

Celebrity chef Annabelle White will be giving cooking demonstrations and judging the pumpkin pie baking contest.

White is a New Zealand food writer and author of eleven cookbooks. She was a long time food columnist for the Sunday Star-Times and also wrote the popular Food Detective column.

Ash urged people to pick up some new tips and tricks to help create their own culinary masterpieces.