With more than 14,000 people expressing interest on social media South Coast Food and Wine Festival organisers Sam and Sonia Tooley are expecting a big turnout at Berry this weekend.
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Mr Tooley said with such a large site at the showground the festival can cater for whatever numbers turn out from 11am Saturday and 10am Sunday.
He said in recent weeks there has been strong interest from Sydney and Wollongong.
"Ticket sales reflect it. They are coming from all over Sydney. The three main spots people are coming from is the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and South Western Sydney," Mr Tooley said.
- Scroll down for the festival's full program of events
"We also have a good number from Canberra and dozens booked in from Melbourne. Our ticketing runs through Eventbrite and we even have people booked in from Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the US".
The concept of having all the wineries, chefs, produce and craft beers in one place appears popular.
Add in entertainment, a farmers market, a long lunch each day and chefs giving demonstrations using local produce and the Strong's believe they have found the recipe for success.
Mr Strong said the interest is what the region deserves.
"It is not only making award winning wine we have world's best oysters. we have really good chefs and the produce is fantastic".
Highlights include many wineries doing tastings and celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge giving a demonstration and hot tips on cooking like a chef at home.
There will be eight craft beer makers also present and Nowra Farmers Market will be at the main stage where they will be hosting cooking demonstrations and interviews with leading chefs and producers.
And Olsson's Masterclasses will feature artisan producers and chefs demonstrating their craft and share their trade secrets.
They include burger cooking demonstrations from Bad Ass Bernies to crafting a perfect donut at home with Eastwood's Deli and Cooking School.
The live entertainment by Happiness is Wealth on Saturday night and seven piece Soul Tonic on Sunday will add to the atmosphere.
General Admission to the festival is $28. VIP tickets are $125 and include entry to the exclusive VIP area.
Live entertainment includes Happiness is Wealth headlining on Saturday night. On Sunday seven piece Soul Tonic will perform a range of hits from Stevie Wonder to Jamiroqui on the main stage.
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:
- 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
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
