POSITIVE feedback has been flowing to Taree Lions Club following its organisation of food festival TasteFest on the Manning.
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The event featured up to 60 stalls including local producers and cultural vendors who travelled from as far as Wollongong in the south and Byron Bay to the north.
Phil said, “people truly embraced what we were trying to do”.
“A lot of people came in the morning and then returned for dinner after 4pm – all up we had 12,000 visitations.
“People were tidy and tolerant and understood the event was run by volunteers doing their best.”
Phil said he and the Lions Club valued how much support the event received from the community.
“We were really happy local vendors came and supported the event – they all were a roaring success.”
He also thanked the over 100 volunteers who helped before and after the event and the countless businesses who donated staff, time and money.
He added this year it is crucial the Lions club’s membership is boosted with young members and those willing to become part of the TasteFest committee.
“We’ve shown what’s possible when the community works together. Many hands make for light work and events like this need support to be sustainable.”
Phil said the event showed the foreshore’s potential for events – but the area needs further support and funding to become a viable and sustainable event venue.
“It lacks power and toilets. People want events down there – we proved that. If you organise an event on the foreshore the town will respond.”
Money is still being counted to determine how much the event raised for the Taree Women’s Refuge.
Event highlights
The Times asked Lions Club president Phil Grisold his top TasteFest moments.
Duck Race: Around 1200 ducks ‘raced’ in the Manning River. The top winner was a woman from Sydney who was an entrant in the Summer Rowing Regatta.
Marquee: The marquee was the place to be with a jam-packed program of demonstrations organised by Faye Ostryzniuk. Phil thanked Jeff Thompson, the Manning Valley 28 Australian Army Cadet Unit and Peter Bolte for their part in making this a professional space.
BBQ Bash: Organised by UpBound, the BBQ Bash featured four contestants who each cooked a meat pack to perfection. Phil said commentary by comedian Andy Saunder was hilarious.
Laura Polson
Journalist with the Manning River Times.
Journalist with the Manning River Times.
