Wagga Wagga Food and Wine Festival 2012

I woke up this morning feeling very excited about the prospect of spending an afternoon by the Wollundry Lagoon. Today's the day, Wagga Wagga's very own Food and Wine Festival. This was my first time attending. I am also attending because I had wanted to blog about a local event. Wagga Wagga has been in the news recently, due to the major flooding and some of the proceeds from today will go to help the flood victims. 

The Wollundry Rotary Club was very kind to donate two tickets to my lucky food blog readers, they won free ticket to attend. This fundraising event is for a good cause, with most of the proceeds going to Micah House this year. Micah House is a care and support house for people in need whether through homelessness or loneliness. People who come may be in need of a good meal or a shower. The staff also offer pastoral care. The previous years recipients were Riverina Cancer Care, The Willans Hill Special school and Renal Dialysis Unit. So as you can see, it is a really fun event and great to see the Wagga community coming all out to support the fundraising. It started at midday, and will go on until 10pm tonight. When I left at 5pm, people were still coming in and I gave away my tokens. What was left of it anyway, it'll buy someone a beer. 

How does this work? Well, an adult ticket is $15 dollars and you get a stubbie holder or a wine glass as you go in. I think there are family passes as well. I think I saw some children with different coloured wristband. And no, they don't get stubbie holders or wine glasses. Once you're in, you can wander off to the Beer and Wine Token stalls to purchase tokens for your alcoholic beverages. I bought five each ;) The food can be bought with real money. For a taste of a wine, it will cost you one token. So with 3 tokens, you can get a full glass of wine or for five beers tokens for a stubbie of beer, some can cost less if in plastic cup, or more pending beer brands. 

I went in search of my favourite Three Chefs Restaurant and had to buy a plate of chocolate spring rolls. The plate of four spring rolls costs me $7.00  Nom Nom Nom! Happiness!!

Wagga Thai House - it costs $5 for two sticks of chicken satay. There were several stalls that had samples for taste testing. I especially like truffle olive oil and spicy dukkah. It was my first time, I have never had truffles, ever! Not even during my flying days. It was so yum! At another stall, I thought that the kranski for $8.50 was a bit expensive, for a sausage in a bun. I didn't get that. It has veal and pork in it. I don't do porks.

I was too full and had to give the Dutch pancakes a miss, Ladies, it looks so good! I would have exploded if I had tried to eat these Dutch pancakes as well, so much food, so little time. I had bought some Lebanese food from Nabiha's Kitchen and some chicken pastry stuff from Mario's Pastizzi. I love flaky pastries! Yes, I ate more than I drank ;) which is a good thing. 

As you can see, quite a lot of people at three in the afternoon, hanging out with family and friends, just enjoying the food, wine and listening to music.

Isn't it nice when the vineyards comes to you? Love love the wines ever so much...

Part of the entertainment today, The Australian Army Band from Blamey Barracks, Kapooka. 

If you are interested in volunteering or being a sponsor or a stall holder for next year,
please visit http://www.waggafoodandwinefestival.com.au/ for more info.