11 MAY 2016

Whopper Oyster Festival In Store

A fantastic event is in store when the 2016 Bluff Oyster & Food Festival takes place at the Festival site in Lee Street, Bluff onSaturday 21 May.

Ticket sales have been the best ever for the popular event as people prepare to travel from far and wide for the tasty food, particularly the iconic Bluff Oyster, with plenty of great entertainment to complement the food and beverage. The food offerings are sure to find favour with everyone.

The Festival's signature dish, the world famous Bluff Oyster heads the list as always and will be present on the majority of food stalls to be served in a variety of ways. There will be plenty of the southern gems served raw while many will be available in the other of most traditional methods - battered. However there are many ways to enjoy a succulent Bluff Oyster and a wander around the many stalls will enable you to sample barbecued oysters with garlic butter and citrus peel, Creamy Seafood & Oyster Pies, Oyster Croquettes, Oyster Rockefeller and if you are up for it a Wasabi Bloody Mary Oyster Shot.

After your fill of oysters there is more, much more. Paua Patties, Marinated Fish, Marinated Mussels, Kina plus Whitebait Patties and bread. There are Chilli Macadamia Scallops and Scallops wrapped in streaky bacon kebabs. Salmon will be plentiful with Smoked Salmon 'n Crackers, Cured Salmon and Smoked Salmon. The Crayfish will be served curried, and in Crayfish Cheese Rolls while there will be several versions of Seafood Chowder and Muttonbirds will be available in many different forms - Stuffed and Roasted, Salted and in Muttonbird Heart Stew. If you don't like seafood take your pick of Crispy Skin Pork, Wontons, Combination Chop Suey, Rice & Noodle, Custard Squares, Hot Chips, Pea & Risotto Balls, Venison Sliders with Pinot Syrup & Caramelised Onions, Divine Chocolate Bites, Hot Nuts and Chicken Nuggets - there really is something for everyone.

There will a range of beverage to accompany the tasty menu with beers, wines, soft drinks and coffee available around the site.

The entertainment gets underway at 11am after the gates open at 10.30am with the traditional Piping In Of The Oyster, the Ode and official welcome.

A firm favourite, the Bluff School Kapa Haka group commences the entertainment programme at 11.30am on the main stage followed by a mix of local and out of town performers. The Flaming Moes - Shaun Blackie, Tim O'Connor and Mark Hewton are stalwarts of the Southland music scene playing timeless faves and new age hits and they will surely set the scene for a great day. Next up come another local favourite - Vixen. Ma Bradshaw, Teresa Monteath, Pania Simmonds and Hollie Longman return after delighting the crowds last year with a twist on some classic rock and pop hits. Returning for the third time are the Bragg Brothers. Brothers Lou and Chris Bragg grew up in Bluff and return from their base in Nelson with drummer Karl Stubberfield to play music covering the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. Bringing down the curtain on the main stage are The Beat Girls, a Wellington based international girl group who have travelled the world and have performed twice at official Olympic Games parties (in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004). Expect anything from the 40's to the noughties as they cover a repertoire from the Andrews Sisters to Lady Gaga.

While the music entertains on the main stage all day long, the Shed 3 Stage hosts Mapu Kuki Airnai Cook Island Drummers as festival goers arrive. Later in the day the Oyster Opening competitions commence at 1.15pm followed by the Oyster Eating Competitions at 2.45pm.

Tickets are selling rapidly and are available from Ticket Direct, Barnes Wild Oysters in Invercargill and the Foveaux Dairy in Bluff. An adult ticket costs just $30 while children 14 and under are $10. Booking fees may apply. Only limited ticket sales will be available on the day.

Bluff Oyster and Food Festival 2016

Entertainment

Main Stage Shed 3 stage

10:20- 10-50 Mapu Kuki Airnai

( Cook Island Drummers)

11:00am Pipe band and Piping in of the oyster

11:15 Ode to the Oyster and speeches

11:30 Bluff School Kapa Haka

12:00 Compere

12:15 Flaming Moes 1:15 Oyster opening comps followed by prize giving

1:15 Compere

1:30 Vixen

2:30 Compere 2:45 Oyster eating comps followed by prize giving.

2:45 Bragg Brothers

3:45 Compere

4:00 Beat Girls

B.O.F.F. 2016 - - FOOD STALL MENUS.

1. CANDO FISHING.

Fresh kina. Paua patties. Marinated fish. Smoked salmon ‘n crackers.

2. BARNE’S OYSTERS.

Oysters.

3. ASCOT PARK HOTEL.

Barbequed Bluff oysters with garlic butter & citrus peel. Cured salmon

4. OCEAN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT.

Crispy skin pork. Oysters. Fish. Won ton. Combination chow suey. Rice & noodle.

5. FOOD @ CLIFTON.

Creamy seafood & oyster pie. Delicious scallop wrapped in streaky bacon kebab. Lucious custard square. Hot chips. Whitebait pattie & bread.

6. NGAI TAHU SEAFOODS.

Cooked “battered” oysters & blue cod. Raw oysters – in shell. Chips.

7. FOWLERS OYSTERS.

Oyster Croquettes(balls). Battered oysters. Pottles raw oysters.

8. BLUFF WELCOME HOME TITI COMMITTEE.

Stuffed, roasted muttonbirds or/and salted muttonbirds. Muttonbird heart stew. Curried crayfish. Marinated mussels.

9. FINESTKIND LTD.

Chilli macadamia scallops.

10. CITY OF INVERCARGILL PIPE BAND.

Seafood chowder.

11. A DIVINE DISH.

Smoked salmon, pea & risotto balls. Venison slider with pinot syrup & caramelized onions. Divine chocolate bites. Hot nuts.

12. FIRST IN WINDSOR.

Seafood Chowder. Muttonbird. Oysters. Blue cod. Chicken nuggets. Hot chips. Soft drinks.

13. THE HIDEAWAY 201.

Crayfish cheese rolls. Oysters Rockefeller. Beefalo & beetroot jam slider. Wasabi bloody mary oyster shot.

14. CUBE COFFEE. )

15. MOCHA ROCKA. ) Coffee, etc.

16. DRIVEBY EXPRESSO. )

THE COMMITTEE TAKES NO RESPONSIBILTY FOR ANY CHANGES TO THIS MENU.

ENDS

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