After a successful debut in 2017, the Bungendore Harvest Festival is back for its second year with a large number of new stalls and local businesses showing off their wares.

The Southern Harvest Association is again hosting the weekend long celebration of local food, farming and fibre from 16 – 18 March 2018.

Last year’s Harvest Festival saw approximately 5,000 tourists head to Bungendore across the weekend from Canberra, surrounding regions, and Sydney.

The event gave Bungendore a new found exposure, which has resulted in an increase of stallholders from 35 stalls last year, to over 60 this year.

This year’s festival will have a greater focus on ready-to-eat produce. ‘Last year was all about the product. We had a really great variety of ingredients and items that festival-goers could buy to take home and experiment with,’ says Festival Director Penny Kothe.

‘This year, we’re showing people the final product, and how we actually use our own produce. Instead of just buying the groceries, there will be a greater offering of brunch, lunch and dinner options. This will give guests the chance to try before they buy, and get ideas for how they can use the produce themselves.’

The success of last year’s event saw the Southern Harvest Association receive a grant from Destination NSW, which will allow greater infrastructure to be brought in to create a broader festival experience. This will include a stage to showcase live music and entertainment, and ensure guests receive the authentic Bungendore country town experience. It will also see more amenities and public facilities.

‘The grant from Destination NSW will help us to deliver a really professional event, raising the bar even higher from 2017.’ says Kothe. ‘We’ll be able to create a better experience for visitors, and provide a larger range of entertainment and activities within the Harvest Festival precinct.’

Festival-goers will once again be treated to the best the Bungendore region has to offer. On Friday, guests will get a chance to indulge in delicious meals showcasing locally sourced food and beverages. Saturday will be packed full of cooking demonstrations, entertainment, street stalls, workshops, gardening and giveaways. The weekend will be rounded out with farm, garden and winery experiences on Sunday.

There will be plenty for the kids, too, with a new kid’s program that includes everything from egg and spoon races to potato sack races, face painting and more.

‘I’m really excited to see what the Bungendore Harvest Festival brings this year.’ says Kothe, ‘It’s a great celebration of fresh food and produce, as well as celebrating the Bungendore community.’

The Bungendore Harvest Festival are pleased to welcome the Bungendore Community Bank as a major sponsor of the event. The festival will run on March 16 – 18 on Ellendon Street and at participating businesses in the area.

For more information visit: https://southernharvest.org.au/harvest-festival/