Bungendore’s artisan gelato maker, Mellabella, will be at Bungendore Bites. Photo: Eunie Kim.
Hot on the heels of its win as the Canberra region’s top tourism town, Bungendore is gearing up for its first full-day food and entertainment festival – set to be the biggest free event the town has seen.
Key event organiser of Bungendore Bites, Sharon Baxter-Judge, says a giant marquee is set to descend on the town’s central sports fields, Mick Sherd Oval, on Saturday 30 August, providing a central hub for a wide range of entertainment and activities.
“I’m looking forward to the huge marquee,” Sharon says. “The marquee will be set with long tables and chairs and be surrounded by the food trucks, so it will be like a long lunch where people can sit back and relax.”
Sharon came up with the long lunch concept to set the event apart from other markets and food festivals. And with serious financial support from Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, the event is packed to the brim with community fun.
“Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council had $50,000 to go to Oktoberfest,” Sharon says. “But that event moved back to Canberra, so in a council resolution $25,000 went to the Diwali festival in Queanbeyan and the other $25,000 was to go to new signature community events in Bungendore and Braidwood.”
Sharon consulted with community groups in the region and while Braidwood received a new tourism website, Bungendore wanted to go down the track of a free community event based around food.
Raio De Sol will bring its Samba beats to Bungendore Bites. Photo: Raio De Sol.
The event was further boosted by funding from the Community Bank Bungendore, money that has allowed Sharon to book a range of family-friendly activities throughout the day.
The event schedule is split in to the daytime session running from 10 am until 2 pm focusing on the kids and the night session from 5 pm for adults.
Family-friendly activities include kite-flying workshops and a team from Warehouse Circus teaching circus skills such as juggling, trick sticks, spinning plates and hula hoops.
Canberra band Raio De Sol will bring its samba beats with two daytime performances, while the Bungendore crafters co-op will be leading a kids’ craft space for those who want to get hands-on.
With the Bungendore Show coming up on 26 October, show president Ashley Myer-Dilley and the show committee will host a pavilion with family activities.
Queanbeyan-based Bom Funk Australian Dance Creative will bring the same high-energy show to the stage it will soon showcase at the Osaka World Expo.
Hitparade will play into the evening at Bungendore. Photo: Hitparade.
On the food front, there will be no shortage of choice with popular local artisan gelato maker Mellabella heading a line-up of food trucks from around the region including CapriZ’s Italian, known for its wood-fired pizzas; Neat Street Coffee & Cakes will have your cafe needs covered; Canberra food truck Tacontento will bringing its crispy Mexican tacos; Zoma Fusion will dish up Bhutanese dumplings; and it wouldn’t be a food festival without Dutch pancakes served by Pop Up Proffertjes.
Despite a number of non-Bungendore vendors, Sharon says she gave local businesses the first opportunity to secure a place to ensure the economic benefits roll back into the community.
The food trucks will stay on into the evening with live music from Hitparade, the marquee will light up with fairy lights, and firepits will provide a cosy place to snuggle up. It is still winter after all!
Sharon encourages visitors to arrive early for the night session, grab a table and set it for the evening. She will even have prizes for the best table settings.
After dark, the wineries and distilleries will crack open their local drops. Expect to see Norton Road Wines, Corang Estate, Hold Fast Distillery and Clark and Kealy Distilling.
The council is backing the event with more than just funding.
Councillor Mareeta Grundy is part of the volunteer working group and Mayor Kenrick Winchester is encouraging those from Canberra and around the region to get down to Bungendore and enjoy all our top tourism town has to offer.
Sharon is keen for the event to become an annual tradition. Despite all the hard work to organise it, she’s excited to bring something new to the region and hopes to see the community back it.
Find out more about Bungendore Bites on its Facebook page.
