Inaugural Wine And Food Celebration Roam Central A Huge Success

A major collaborative effort between winemakers and food producers from around Central Otago and the Southern Lakes has resulted in the first Roam Central event exceeding organisers’ expectations.

Roam Central, a four-day celebration of the region’s wine and food industries, took place at multiple venues across Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston, Wānaka, Bendigo, Bannockburn, Clyde and Pisa near Cromwell, from January 26-29.

Roam Central is the first time the wine producers and artisans of Central Otago have collaborated together to organise a series of bespoke events that highlight some of the region’s finest gastronomic and tasting experiences. Over the four days, a total of 19 events were held across the region, involving 38 wineries, as well as dozens of chefs and food producers.

The flagship event, Roam the Valley Wine & Food Festival at Cargo Cellar Door in Gibbston, saw more than 1500 people attend to enjoy a relaxed and fun atmosphere in the sun while sampling local wine and food. All other events were sold out or near-sell-out.

Roam Central event manager Jo Brown says she’s been blown away by the feedback from people attending the events, as well as from winemakers and food producers themselves.

“Our vision for Roam Central was to create a summer celebration of what’s produced on our doorstep, for locals and visitors alike. It’s about sharing our love of life in Central Otago and the Southern Lakes with others, and we are thrilled with the turnout of each event.

“But what made this event so special is how everyone came together to contribute to a fantastic four-day celebration of the region. We are truly grateful for the support of our fantastic winegrowers, wineries, chefs and restaurants – they are the heroes of this event,” she says.

“We’ll be back next year to celebrate and elevate this world-famous region, once again.”

Roam Central: The details
Roam Central comprises four anchor events between January 26-29, 2023.

Roam the Valley Wine & Food Festival: Held at the picturesque grounds at Cargo Cellar Door in Gibbston, the festival is a ticketed event and includes themed areas of Rock & Gold, Water & Ice, Fruit & Bloom. Live musicians, Jackie Bristow, Little Green Men, Saxylady and The Postman played throughout the day.
Roam Around Town (Wine & Dine) January 26-28: Participating local restaurants Aosta, Arc, Olivers, Giovi, Farelli’s at Giovi, Rata, and Jervois Steak House pair up with local wineries to treat guests to a unique four-course wine and food-matched dinner.
Roam the Vines (Brunch in the Vineyards) on January 29: Selected local vineyards host a relaxed brunch among the vines to wrap up the four-day celebration.
Roam Pop Ups (Discover the Region) January 27-29: A programme of events in the regions that includes Master classes, Evening Chill at Carrick, Winemakers Dinner at Muttonbird and Queenstown Ice Bar’s Evening Cool Down.
More information about all the events can be found here.

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