Moree plates up festival fun
Moree on a Plate remains defiant in the face of drought, with the 2020 festival already shaping up to include a stellar line up of local talent, and the perfect vehicle to promote and showcase the very best of our community.
While recent seasons may have sadly lacked abundance, the enthusiasm, talent and community spirit within Moree continues to flourish.
From producers to artisans, entertainers to chefs, local talent will abound at this year’s festival, to be held on Saturday, May 9, with the event again encapsulating a ‘look local’ theme.
With new Moree on a Plate President, Chloe Hayes at the helm, the festival will again look to capitalise on talent from within the community, not only promoting local skills but also helping mitigate the effects of drought.
The committee is thrilled to announce that popular local caterers, Kate Goodhew and Toby Osmond of The Goods Catering, will this year lead the festival’s cooking demonstrations as Moree’s very own version of celebrity chefs.
Toby enjoyed an extensive career in hospitality running the wildly popular Will and Toby’s in Darlinghurst, while Kate is a formally trained caterer who cut her teeth with Sydney food dynamo Simmone Logue.
Having both since relocated back to their hometown of Moree, the two formed a friendship thanks to their shared love of food, and more recently, a business collaboration.
Moree on a Plate President Chloe Hayes said the duo will be a fabulous asset to the festival, sharing recipes, tips and tricks during a number of live cooking demonstrations at the event.
“Moree is full of such a huge variety of clever chefs and home cooks, and we are thrilled to offer the opportunity for Toby and Kate to share their skills in our highly popular cooking demonstrations.
“In the past we have facilitated a celebrity chef, at a significant expense, so this year, in light of the current local economy, we will help nurture our own, home grown talent.”
“The inclusion of local home cooks and chefs in the 2019 festival was a great success and we’re thrilled to offer this opportunity again.”
Now entering its 16th year, the 2020 festival is one of the region’s most established, and highly regarded, food and wine festivals.
This year’s festival will be held, as always, on Mother’s Day weekend, Saturday, May 9 at The Moree Secondary College, Albert Street, Moree from 10am to 4pm.
Local vocal talents will set the atmosphere of the day while producers from across NSW and Queensland at the ready to indulge the crowds.
“The festival continues to grow each year, and despite the drought we are so proud to offer the community a vehicle to promote producers, talent, tourism – and most importantly, a fun-filled, relaxed day out,” Chloe said.
“The Moree district has long been regarded as one of the world’s premier producers of grains and cotton, and a number of evolving industries, such as oranges, pecans and olives, have also cemented their place on the table in recent years,” Chloe explained.
And with a $2 cover charge the committee is intent on ensuring the event is affordable and accessible for all.
The highly entertaining Blokes on the Barbeque will be back in 2020, as will the ever-popular Kids Korner, a dedicated oval just for the little ones.
And festival organisers are encouraging visitors to make a weekend of it, with a number of complementary events scheduled around the Mother’s Day weekend, including gallery exhibition openings and Tourism Moree Agri-Tours.
“Moree on a Plate is so many things to so many people – it’s a farmers’ market, it’s a family day out, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a relaxing lunch in the Autumn sunshine and it’s a wonderful way to promote not only our marvellous producers but our lovely town of Moree.”
“We would love visitors to come and enjoy our region for a few days – this is the perfect opportunity to indulge in some rural hospitality, enjoy the widespread talent of our community and of course relax in our unique healing artesian hot pools,” Chloe encouraged.
For more information and to keep up to date with Moree on a Plate announcements, see Facebook/moreeonaplate or Instagram moap2400 or online at www.moreeonaplate.com.au
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