New Zealand Olive Festival comes to Hawke’s Bay

New Zealand Olive Festival comes to Hawke’s Bay

Plans are very much underway to stage the first ever New Zealand Olive Festival which will be based in Hawke’s Bay. Despite a few funding hiccups earlier in the year, it has been confirmed the event will run on the 18th September at Sileni Estate.

With financial investment from Venture Hawke’s Bay and the Blossom Festival (Hastings District Council) the Olive Festival committee have appointed Food Hawke’s Bay to event manage the Festival.

Geoff Crawford, Director at Telegraph Hill Olivery and organiser of the previous regional Hawke’s Bay Olive Festival says “we are delighted the festival is to go ahead and has the support of the council and Venture Hawke’s Bay. When we were initially turned down for funding, it was a real disappointed for us. Since then, with a lot of hard work we have put it back on the Hawke’s Bay event calendar, this festival is a “must do” for New Zealand foodies”

The NZ Olive Festival will this year be held at Sileni Estate in Hastings. This venue lends itself to an event like this, with added facilities like the permanent marquee that Orton Catering has constructed onsite. Jane Libby, Food Hawke’s Bay General Manager is excited about the organisation’s involvement in the festival, “collectively Hawke’s Bay is the best food and wine region in New Zealand, by frequently adding fantastic events to our calendar we continue to build on this reputation.

The Festival will include children’s activities, olive oil tastings and olive appreciation workshops, cooking demonstrations, Olive Grower stalls, food and entertainment. An important aspect will be the educational workshops on how to easily use olive oil in your everyday cooking. Chefs will be demonstrating and visitors will be able to taste the difference in everyday dishes. Those that view the everyday cooking workshops will learn how to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO, which will change the way they cook forever.

The festival will be family fun day out with activities designed to appeal to a wide audience.

The NZ Olive Festival will be an integral part of a larger event weekend to be staged in the last weekend of the Blossom Festival. The linking of these events will attract a lot of visitors to Hawke’s Bay.

Ends.