20 May 2022
Organisers of The Adelaide Food Fringe Festival today announced its indefinite cancellation.
The community curated state-wide festival with a mission to celebrates South Australia’s food and beverage businesses, communities, clubs, organisations, and individuals, made the difficult decision due to the impact of COVID and continuing funding challenges on the delivery of a 2022 event and beyond.
Founder and Director of The Adelaide Food Fringe Festival, Vic Pisani, said that while he is proud of the festival’s achievements in such a challenging environment, that saw over 160 food and beverage events presented in the city, suburbs and regional SA in 2021 after a COVID cancelled 2020 first year, he simply could not find a sustainable way for the festival to survive and continue its success.
“Over the last 12 months, we have explored many scaled down models and ideas that might see the Adelaide Food Fringe go on this year. Unfortunately, each model would’ve resulted in a reduction in the scale, scope, impact and value of what we would provide businesses, communities, councils, organisations, clubs and individuals that registered their events in 2021 and also the value we could offer partners investing in us.
“After the disappointment of a cancelled Adelaide Food Fringe in 2020 and the excitement of creating such a hugely successful second coming of the Adelaide Food Fringe in 2021, we simply didn’t want to produce anything less than we achieved in last year or indeed any budget/staffing compromised version.” Mr Pisani said.
“But rather than fizzle out, we’re determined to go out on a high (like Ash Barty) by initiating one last positive impact through the festival.”
As part of non-for-profit festival’s closing, the Adelaide Food Fringe will donate $10,000 of their remaining operating reserves to charity partner, Foodbank SA, creating the equivalent of 20,000 meals for people experiencing food insecurity in South Australia. This donation to Foodbank SA amounts to around $20,000 donated in less than 3 years which is an amazing outcome of the festival efforts.
Despite all the difficulties this COVID period has created for The Adelaide Food Fringe, Mr Pisani says he has great pride in the festival’s achievements in supporting SA food and beverage businesses and communities and will forever be thankful to the incredible support received from the Food Fringe Board, sponsors, businesses, communities, clubs, councils and organisations that made this unique celebration of SA’s food and beverage community come alive and thrive in 2021.
A list of the wonderful sponsors, individuals and events we would like to thank can be found below and all enquiries about the Adelaide Food Fringe can be sent to Vic Pisani at adelaidefoodfringe@gmail.com
The Adelaide Food Fringe would like to thank:
Supporters and partners:
- Adelaide Food Fringe Board past and present (Nick Linke, Kate Moskwa, John Koerber, Christie Anthoney)
- The City of Adelaide
- Pirate Life Brewing
- City Rural Insurance Brokers
- Patritti Wines
- Never Never Distilling Co
- OMD Adelaide
- Version Design
- TEN Adelaide
- ABC Radio Adelaide
- InDaily
Wonderful business, communities, clubs and organisations that registered their events in our program:
- Mercato
- Post Dining
- SA CWA
- WEA
- Nonna’s Cucina
- Latvian Association of SA
- Lea McBride, Director of Adelaide Vegan Festival
- Joy of Flora Cafe
- Hilton Hotel and Rosewater Hotel
- Candela Latin American Restaurant
- Hayes Honey
- The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre
- Borsa Pasta
- Walkers Arms
- Clipper Ship
- Banksia Tree Cafe
- Banquet Fine Foods
- Australian Cocktail Month
- The Pantry on Egmont
- Goodwood Road
- Siberia Restaurant
- Hurley Hotel Group
- Alliance Française d’Adelaide
- The Big Easy Group
- Peter Teakle Wines
- Geoff Merril Wines
- Paulett Wines
- and countless others. See our full program archive here.