Hundreds taste Taranaki, and Barvaria
Two hospitality events are likely to make a comeback next year after people turned out in their droves to support them over the weekend.
The Taste Taranaki Festival and Oktoberfest were both held on Saturday, each event attracting hundreds of people.
Taste Taranaki organiser Ron Trigg was extremely happy with the support given to the inaugural food and drink event, which
"It's small beginnings for us with this event." Ron Trigg
proved to be a sell-out.
It also raised $1000 for the Taranaki Retreat, a suicide prevention initiative run by former Taranaki Cathedral Dean Jamie Allen and wife Suzy.
The evening provided 210 punters with a degustation experience by sampling small portions of a range of signature dishes in one sitting.
All up eight courses were provided over three hours, matched with wine, beer and coffee.
Four chefs involved in the night represented the Nice Hotel, Okurukuru, Salt Restaurant and The Orangery Restaurant.
Given the interest in the occasion, plans were already underway for a repeat experience in 2018.
‘‘It’s small beginnings for us with this event,’’ Trigg said.
The winner of the Taranaki Society of Brewers Association Brewers award was also dished out on the night.
Willem Truter and Chris Gibson, from the online Brew Shop, took out the trophy for their Misty Mountain Hops beer.
Meanwhile, this year’s Oktoberfest at The Mayfair bar in New Plymouth, attracted about 200 people.
Organiser Brent Taylor breathed new life into the event, which was previously canned by Trigg, who hosted the beerdrinking festival for 10 years at his Urenui-based brewery.
Taylor said there had been a lot of positive feedback from those who attended and the live music, provided by Wellington group The Steinbenders, was ‘‘awesome’’.
He said the event would make a return in 2018, with the possibility it could change venues to Butler’s Reef in Oa¯ kura.
Despite the increased revelry in the city on Saturday night, New Plymouth police Sergeant Grant Roper said there had been no major incidents.