Adelaide Food Fringe announces inaugural festival program with over 100 events across South Australia
After a COVID cancelled first attempt in 2020, SA’s newest 100% open-access food and drink festival, the Adelaide Food Fringe, today announced its second shot at an inaugural festival, with a program boasting more than 100 events across South Australia over 9 days from Friday the 7 of May to Sunday 16 May.
Celebrating and supporting food and beverage businesses, communities and Foodbank (who receive 10% of all net registration fees collected) the new festival presents South Australia’s food and drink culture in a program of registered events including special dinners, cultural celebrations, picnics, festivals, exhibitions, talks, cooking classes, wine, gin, beer tastings, tours, food trails, vegan events, breakfasts, future food explorations, music and much more.
The festival kicks off with Foodbank SA’s ‘Women of Influence’ lunch on Friday 7 May featuring Senator Penny Wong, Ali Clarke, Leah Itsines and Jessica Wishart with all proceeds of the event going to support Foodbank SA’s mission to end hunger in SA.
With 18 different nation’s cuisines and culture represented in the program in dozens of dinners, cooking classes, demonstrations, masterclasses and experiences, another talk event at the Hawke Centre, ‘From Bush Food to Banjaan Borani – Food, Family and History on a Plate’ underlines the new festival’s cultural diversity by exploring migrant and indigenous food stories and how they inform identity and connection to heritage, home and country. Panel members include Durkhanai Ayubi, (Parwana Afghan Kitchen), Cordelia Claye, (Elder, Sierra Leone Women’s Association of SA), George Georgiadis, (Managing Director, Never Never Distilling), Mark Koolmatrie, (Owner, Tribal Expertise Facility and Chairperson, State Aboriginal Heritage Committee – SA) and Ines Patritti, (Director, Patritti Wines). Walkerville Council extends this theme with a brilliant event featuring Something Wild’s Daniel Motlop hosting an interactive masterclass about the origin and culture behind Indigenous food.
Vegan events and businesses are well represented with a ‘choose your own vegan adventure’ Food trail – the Green Brick Road, a Latin inspired vegan fiesta at Hispanic Mechanic, a vegustation dinner at Francesco’s Osteria and plant-based cooking classes.
In the city, there are options a plenty with Post Dining’s fascinating Future Food workshop at the Joinery for adults and kids to discover and taste what we might be eating in 2050, Borsa Pasta Cucina’s offering free Agnolotti demonstrations, Yiasou George’s big Greek Dinner, Chianti’s Giro d’Italia feast and East Terrace Russian restaurant Siberia hosting a Suckling Pig Sunday event.
For those in Port Adelaide, Pirate Life Brewery will be a hub of activities with events ranging from an Italian Islands feast and firepit masterclass to a beer mug pottery class and ukulele workshop. Just down the road, the historic Clipper Ship of Adelaide is playing host to the Pizza and Popsicles beneath the Poop deck’event and The Banksia Tree Café’s ‘Brunch at The Port’ will delight breakfast lovers.
Other food and beverage hubs hosting multiple events include Patritti Wines in Dover Gardens, the stunning new Never Never Distillery door destination in the McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills’ Lot 100 heads to Henley Beach for an amazing collaboration with Melt, Sea Salt and West.
Italian food lovers can rejoice with Mercato delivering a number of events across the festival including a pasta masterclass with Nonna matriarch and founder, Imma Caporaso. Rosa Matto, Nonna’s cucina and many more hosting delicious Italian food experiences.
The program also has a plethora of free, family friendly, not for profit and community events across the state, including events by the CWA, a community picnic at Aldinga Beach by The Food Embassy Inc, Hayes Honey open Day, Food Secrets at the Green in Norwood, Latvian Society Social Club baking classes in Wayville and many more.
Cheese takes centre stage in one of Never Never Distilling’s Gin and Cheese Pairing Masterclass, a French wine and cheese event by Alliance Française d’Adélaïde and Cheese making classes with Udder Delights.
Regional SA is a key part of the festival with a fantastic range of events being held in some of the State’s tourist hot spots including Peter Teakle Wines in Port Lincoln, Paulett Wines in the Mid North, Swell Brewery and Never Never Distillery in McLaren Vale, The Watervale Hotel and Penobscot Farm in the Clare Valley, an Italian meets Mexican degustation with the award winning Loco and Ninos in Victor Harbor and much more.
And if that’s not enough, the Adelaide Food Fringe Festival is also proudly introducing the world’s first International Pub Week initiative alongside partner, Pirate Life Brewing. The new initiative – specifically created to celebrate the cultural, social and economic impact of pubs and give them a much-needed boost after a tumultuous year – is a program stream that features events registered by hotels across the State. To mark the occasion, Pirate Life will take their much-loved ‘brewer shout’ project out of the brewery and into
7 pubs over the 7 days of IPW while loads great pubs presenting their own events in International Pub Week include the Gilbert Street Hotel, The Arkaba, The Hilton Hotel, The Torrens Arms Hotel, The Rosewater Hotel, The Walkers Arms, The Highway Hotel, The Stag, The Grove, Hotel Royal, The Marion, The Pretoria, the Newmarket Hotel and even The Watervale Hotel in the Clare Valley who will be hosting a six senses farm tour and degustation paired with Pirate Life Beers.
Adelaide Food Fringe Director, Vic Pisani, said he is ecstatic by the level of interest in the festival considering last year’s Adelaide Food Fringe was derailed by COVID-19
‘I’m honestly blown away by the response to our return from the food and beverage industry. Word has certainly spread quickly.
We’re a small team and we simply wouldn’t have been able to comeback from our COVID cancellation if it wasn’t for the support of major sponsors the City of Adelaide, Pirate Life Brewing, Patritti Wines, Never Never Distilling Co and other supporting partners.
They’re a huge part of our festival and mission to celebrate and support food and beverage businesses, communities and Foodbank and we can thank them enough.
“It’s no secret festivals and the hospitality industry did it tough last year, so we see our exciting return as more evidence of green shoots for both our industries rising out of dark times”, said Adelaide Food Fringe director Vic Pisani.
“As for the line-up, it’s truly a festival for the people by the people as it’s 100% curated by your locals and friends that registered their events and ideas.
There’s a massive variety of events on offer right across the state, and I know it’s a festival director cliché but there’s honestly something for everyone of any age, interest and budget.
Like all great festivals in this State I encourage people to get the most out of our program by trying something they love as well as experiencing something new.”
For the complete Adelaide Food Fringe program go to adelaidefoodfringe.com.au
The Adelaide Food Fringe, 7-16 May Across South Australia
https://adelaidefoodfringe.com.au/
For media enquiries: Oliver Marshall – hello@adelaidefoodfringe.com.au – 0479 055 011