A sneak peek at the set up on Friday for the South Coast Food and Wine Festival at Berry revealed the weekend is about much more than just food and wine.
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With craft beers, ciders, farmers markets, chefs, restaurants, aquaculture and produce it is a showcase of the region to thousands of visitors from Sydney as well as locals.
The Illawarra Mercury caught up with some of the exhibitors setting up on the main arena where the wine, beer and food stalls and main stage form a giant ring of food, wine and produce. There is also a regional marquee in the middle.
With a fine warm weather forecast everyone was excited about what lay head,
Joanne Fahey, of Glenbernie Orchard and Darkes Cider, said the weekend is a chance for people to come and sample their award winning ciders.
"Darkes Cider is exhibiting after just winning five golds at the Tasmanian Fine Food Awards at Royal Hobart. We have also just won silver at the Australian Fine Food Awards in Melbourne and we are waiting to hea the results of the World Cider Awards. The Howler has won gold the last two years. And this year we also are sending our Dry Cider".
Among the many winners exhibitors is the region's most awarded wine producing vineyard Coolangatta Estate which has won over 2000 wine industry awards mostly for its semillon. But its has just taken out Best White Wine in Show at the 2019 NSW Small Winemakers Show for its 2018 Winsome Riesling. Which was also named Best Dry White Table Wine-Riesling.
Another vineyard that is no stranger to wine, business and tourism awards is Cupitt's Winery near Ulladulla which was named Shoalhaven Business of the Year in 2018 and won gold awards for Tourism Winery/Brewery and Excellence in Food Tourism at the NSW Tourism Awards and was recognised as a 5 Star Winery James Halliday Wine Companion.
Tom Cupitt said the South Coast Food and Wine Festival was a chance for more people to sample its food and wine as well as four beers on tap including a pumpkin ale.
"We had a surplus from our pumpkin harvest. In the USA they do a pumpkin ale around Halloween. It is based off that style. This festival is fantastic. We are really excited because it is great for a region with so many awesome producers of beer, wine, cheese, food, spirits and coffee," Mr Cupitt said.
South Coast Food & Wine Festival program:
Day 1 - Saturday September 14, 2019
- 8.00am - Alexandra Street, Berry - Berry Markets
- 11am - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - open general admission
- 11am - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - beverage, tasting and food sampling
- 11.15am - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village starting with a traditional owners Welcome to Country
- 11.30am - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - nose to tail recipes with Brent Strong from Bangalay Restaurant
- 12.00pm - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - VIP Lounge opens
- 12.00pm to 12.40pm - Olsson's Masterclass Micro Dairy Mania: milkshake, cheese, ice-cream - The Pines Dairy, Kel
- 12.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Cool Climate Wines & Organic Wine Production with Michael Bynan & Jeff Aston
- 12.30pm - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - Long Lunch, Berry with Kierrin McKnight, (Wild Ginger) delivering a six course feast menu complemented by local wines and beers
- 1pm to 4pm - Olsson's Estuary Oyster Masterclass plus Beer and Prosecco with Australian Oyster Coast & Cupitt's Winery
- 1.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Biota Dining with Ryan Kovac
- 2.00pm to 2:40pm - Olsson's Masterclass - Traditional Buratta Stretching - Vannella Cheese - Giuseppe Minoia
- 2.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Seaweed & Aquaculture with Dr Pia Winberg
- 3.00pm - 3:40pm - Olsson's Masterclass - Bad Ass Burger Trade Secrets with Bad Ass Bernies' Ioannis Benardos
- 3.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - tea and cocktails with Mark
- 4.00pm - 4:40pm - Olsson's Salt Masterclass - Salt, Sake & Shiraz: the whole salt story with Alex Olsson
- 4.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Perfect Donuts with Kellie Eastwood
- 5.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Happiness is Wealth Performing
- 8.00pm - Festival closes for the day
Day 2 - Sunday September 15, 2019
- 10.00am - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - Open general admission
- 10.00am - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - Beverage Tasting and Food Sampling
- 10.30am - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village coffee and tea with Ian & Mark
- 11.00am - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds - VIP Lounge opens
- 11.30am - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - slow food with Rosie & Marilyn
- 12:00pm to 12:40pm - Pecora Dairy, Michael and Cressida McNamara International award winning cheese tasting
- 12.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Seaweed & Aquaculture with Dr Pia Winberg
- 1.00pm to 1:40pm - Richard Kemp - Treble Chef Slinging Spatulas and Guitars
- 1.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Fruit & Baking with Rowie Dillon
- 2.00pm to 2:40pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Eastwoods Bermagui, Kelly Eastwood bring Kelly's tips and tricks for doughnut perfection
- 2.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Cooking Like a Chef at Home with Colin Fassnidge
- 3.30pm - Nowra Farmers Market on stage at the Festival Village - Soul Tonic Performing
- 3.00pm to 3:40pm - The Hampden Deli's Nick Gardner hosts A Day in The Hampden Deli presentation.
- 5.00pm - Festival Village. Berry Showgrounds festival closes
Read more:
- Berry's inaugural South Coast Food and Wine Festival to be held this weekend
- Meet the man behind the inaugural South Coast Food & Wine Festival at Berry in one week
- Full program released for inaugural South Coast Food & Wine Festival at Berry Showground
- How chefs and producers working together to showcase the region as a dining destination
- Local vineyards smash the annual wine festival record out of the ball park
- The lure of the Illawarra and South Coast as a place to dine and wine is being enhanced by TAFE