EARLY indicators show more than 1000 visitors and locals indulged their way
through the third annual Swan Hill Region Food and Wine Festival.
With wet
weather tarnishing the event last year, festival chairperson Jessica Allen said
sunshine was a definite factor in attracting about 1000 people on Saturday, many
lining up before the 11am opening.
“All the stall holders were happy with
their sales, it was much better than last year, given there was double the
amount of people, which is probably due to the weather.”
She said a similar
sized crowd had attended the Farmers’ Market on Sunday, hosted by Swan Hill
Sunrise Rotary club fundraising for Swan Hill Specialist School.
All 140
tickets sold out for Friday’s river cruise on the PS Pyap, as did the 70 tickets
for today’s final event — brunch by the Lake Boga foreshore.
Bress Winery’s
Tom Handyside on Saturday said his Harcourt pear and apple ciders were
especially popular.
“It’s been fantastic, we’ve sold out,” Mr Handyside
said.
“The product doesn’t sell in Swan Hill yet, so we’ve been getting a lot
of interest from publicans and locals.”
The Castlemaine resident said the
festival compared well to other food and wine festivals in Heathcote and
Melbourne. “This one is quite good — I think this interesting setting in the
Pioneer Settlement sets it apart.”
