Gourmands can look forward to some rare and tasty treats at the Pyrmont Festival of Wine, Food and Art, from 18-27 May 2012, with over 20 events announced in the program, its biggest yet.
The Pyrmont Festival is a collaboration between the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce, the City of Sydney and the Mudgee Wine Region industry, bringing country flavours to the city.
Palate pleasers this year include an ‘Italian Rustic Breakfast on Pyrmont Bay’ by Signorelli Gastronomia which opens the program (18 May), a huge outdoor Wine and Food fair at Pirrama Park with Mudgee produce (20 May), ‘Taste of the Star’, a sampler of the Star’s fine dining restaurants (24 May), and ‘Friday’s Great Long Lunch’ at Café Morso (25 May).
The back-bone of the Festival is a series of Mudgee Region wine and food matching events at Pyrmont’s restaurants from Pyrama and Blue Eye Dragon to Ripples and Bar Zini. Choose from degustation dinners, a cheese and wine masterclass, long lunches, sampling events and an open day at Sanctuary.
The Festival is a unique opportunity for Pyrmont to demonstrate its diversity as a dining and lifestyle precinct with events at art galleries, Pyrmont Wharf, Pirrama Park, TAFENSW, the Star and bottle shops, as well as restaurants, bars and cafes.
Around 20 Mudgee Region wineries will take part in the Festival including newcomers Walter Wines, Quilty and Short Sheep Wines. They join established Mudgee favourites like Lowe Wine, Huntington Estate, Robert Stein Winery and High Valley Wine & Cheese Company.
The program’s biggest event is a free outdoor Wine and Food fair in award-winning Pirrama Park on Sunday 20 May from 11-5pm. Set on Sydney Harbour, guests can sample 120 different wines from the Mudgee Region’s top winemakers plus fine foods and produce, from the Mudgee Region with the chance to win Mudgee Region mixed dozens throughout the day. Mudgee wine tasting packages including tasting tokens and souvenir glass start at just $20 and will be available for purchase on the day. The quickest way to get to the Park is to cycle, but come in style as there is a ‘Tour de Pyrmont’ best dressed bike and rider competition being judged by Nell Schofield. Ample bike parking will be provided and route maps can be downloaded from the Festival website. Also join in and have your photo taken by North Sullivan’s ‘Pyrmont Faces’ a Public Art Project.
Beyond the palate, art also takes centre stage with artists from the Mudgee Region showcasing at ‘Art from the Land of Wine and Honey’ an exhibition at Culture at Work; the 6th Annual Pyrmont Art Prize on show at Pirrama Park (20 May) including exhibits from six Pyrmont, Ultimo and Glebe primary schools; and North Sullivan’s ‘Doorstop Portraits in Pyrmont’ (Sat 26 May) with portraits of interesting Pyrmont locals.
”The Festival provides us with the chance to get people to experience what this area has to offer plus taste some of the best wines and produce from the Mudgee Region. Last year the Festival attracted people from far and wide. From romantic boutique dinners to outdoor long lunches for a family the program is shaping up to offer something for everyone’s tastes.” said Lawrence Gibbons, President of Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce.
The Mudgee Region is 3.5 hours drive from Sydney in Central NSW and is renowned for its food and wine with around 40 family-run boutique wineries. It is the third largest grape-growing region in NSW and produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Italian varieties and an increasing number of organic wines. The Mudgee Fine Food Group represents a number of quality, small batch producers of organic pork, free range beef, olive oil and olives, farmhouse cheeses, nuts, honey, relishes and jams.
For more information, tickets and accommodation go to www.pyrmontfestival.com
This event is presented by Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce and proudly supported by the City of Sydney, Destination NSW, IGA ‘How the Locals Like it’, Mudgee Region Tourism Inc, Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Association and The Star.
This Festival supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW and its Regional Tourism Partnership Funding Program.
