Waikato hipsters your time has come, the Great Kiwi Beer Festival is coming to Hamilton's Claudelands Event Centre in March 2020.

The craft beer and cider festival is expected to attract up to 10,000 punters from across the country for its first event in the North Island.

Traditionally the event has been held in Christchurch's Hagley Park, drawing in about 14,000 drinkers.

But festival director Callam​​ Mitchell, who made the announcement Thursday, said the north was an untapped market the event planners have had their eyes on for about five years.

"There's Beervana in Wellington and GABS in Auckland, but they're quite different events to what we do and we just felt there was a gap from what we're doing which is a day of great beer, great food and great music.

People can expect a relaxed fun day out with friends, while enjoying a huge range of craft beers, a well curated food offering, and soaking up the the sounds of some of New Zealand's best bands."

Punters have flocked to the event since it began in 2012 and with the growing interest in craft brews it was about time the North Island got a taste, Mitchell said.

"You've only got to go into most bars or supermarkets now and you see craft beer everywhere where as five, ten years ago that certainly wouldn't have been the case.

"We have seen the Kiwi craft beer industry go from strength to strength and it feels like the time is right to bring the festival to the North Island."

About 40 breweries will be serving up thousands of cold ones with more than 200 craft beers and ciders on tap - some will be brewed especially for the event, Mitchell said.

"The volume of craft beer produced in this country has trebled over the past five years - and New Zealand has more breweries per head of population than anywhere else in the world.

"There is a wealth of brewing talent in the Waikato and across the central North Island that Hamilton makes perfect sense as the new North Island home for the festival."

Exhibitions, beer tasting, craft beer workshops, live music, and food and beverage matchings will be found inside the event centre and outside on the field.

Past lineups have included Dave Dobbyn, Dragon, Salmonella Dub and The Black Seeds.

Hamilton's lineup is expected to be released in the next few weeks when tickets go on sale.

Mitchell's been working with locals to provide the best selection of gourmet food trucks and restaurants on the day.

About 40 per cent of attendees are expected travel into the city for the festival, something Hamilton and Waikato Tourism chief executive Jason Dawson is pleased about.

"Attracting events which play to our strengths, are outside of traditional peak summer season and drive domestic visitation is a key priority under our Regional Major Events Strategy.

"Having a large-scale, multi-faceted event like the Great Kiwi Beer Festival is a great addition to our regional calendar and we hope it will become a permanent, annual event in the region."

The festival will be held at Hamilton's Claudelands Event Centre March 7 following Christchurch's festival in Hagley Park January 26.