Kā piti Food Fair tastes success
Big crowds enjoy fair and concert
The recent Kāpiti Food Fair welcomed over 11,000 visitors through the gates of Mazengarb Reserve, Paraparaumu, and then another 1000 concert-goers for its first-ever Night Gig with headline act Tami Neilson.
“It was an amazing year of planning happiness, and a gorgeous day being served up on the beautiful Kāpiti Coast,” co-organiser Helene Judge said.
Visitors indulged in food, drinks, and were entertained on the Tuatara Stage by Miss Tui who also stepped up to perform the opening pōwhiri before her set, followed by The Caramello Blues Band, Devon Welch Music, and Fleetwood Mac Tribute wooing the crowd at the end of the day.
When evening came, and after a quick turnaround by the crew, it was time for the inaugural Night Gig to begin.
Local act Jodie and The Stowaways took to the Tuatara Stage putting on a fabulous warm-up show to get everyone ready for the incomparable Tami Neilson.
During the day, the We Love Local Kāpiti Kitchen Stage had a line-up of amazing local talent sharing their inspirational tips and recipes, including Fiona Greig of Sunday Cantina,
Justine Street of Good Bitches Baking, and El Robbins and Jack Rainey from Everybody Eats Wellington with Kaibosh Kāpiti.
Young rangatahi musical talent and super-awesome buskers and aerial circus performers executed wonderful shows in the Zeal Zone all day long.
The crowd was full of locals and visitors who came from throughout the North Island, and the Food Fair’s site map had more than 220 vendors on view, with a wide range of readyto-eat offerings served from under gazebo or food trailers, packaged products to take home, plus an offlicence Liquor Zone.
“We were pleased that 32 per cent of vendors were from Kāpiti and overall 59 per cent of vendors offered packaged food and beverage products, and 41 per cent were readyto-eat foods,” Judge said.
Vendor registration for the next Kāpiti Food Fair will open in April. Vendors are urged to book early to avoid disappointment.
“It takes a village, and we had the best one doing important jobs at the fair.”
Kāpiti Rotary helped with set-up and pack-down, the ATM and parking, the No 49 Squadron Air Cadets were the waste busters, the
Paraparaumu College Borneo World Challenge helped with set-up and collecting gold coin parking donations, Work Ready Kāpiti and Paraparaumu Boys were the ticket scanners, and ANZ Paraparaumu operated the ticket office, day and night.
In addition, Organic Wealth operated
a highly effective on-site waste depot at the fair and at this point they know their 90 per cent target of diverting waste from landfill has been met, with a detailed report arriving soon.
“We’re grateful to everyone who worked alongside Jeanine and myself, including our sponsors and the
Kāpiti Major Events Fund, to make a beautiful day and night to remember.
“Special mention goes to our tireless warrior crew. The workload is intense as you lead into an event of our scale, and they undertake many unseen jobs that glue everything together on the day.”