Swede dreams shattered as festival moves to next year
Weeks after a festival dedicated to the humble swede was announced, it has been cancelled.
Rootstock was to take place in a swede paddock in Wilson’s Veges farm in Invercargill on Saturday, April 20.
But yesterday, organiser Louise Evans issued a statement saying low ticket sales had prompted the organisers to postpone the festival to next year.
"We think there are a few reasons for low sales.
“We’ll own those, and fix the things we can to give it a nudge next year,“
Evans told The Southland Times. “We’ve got a vision for a swede as music fest, so we’re happy to wait and put on a party in a paddock to remember, rather than a meantime one."
The organisers were working with the ticketing company to refund the ticket prices to those who bought the tickets, the statement said.
“Nothing goes to waste.
“We'll compost all our learnings to fertilise next year's plans, and turnip the volume in 2025 – when the swedes will be sweeter.”
Evans, along with Southlanders Blair Savory and Anna Kirkwood, were behind the event, and had planned to feature various dishes around the swede, including from chefs Ethan Flack, Pat O’Connor and Herbie Fully Vegan “who would be testing some experimental cuisine”.
The festival was to have a “curious cuisine” and a “tasting” where people could buy swede tastings from $2 to $10, in addition to foods that used the vegetable, Evans had said previously.
Evans thanked the sponsors of the event.
Those curious to explore swede dishes could check out chef Ethan Flack’s Kitchen Dinners, she said.