Wao Wānaka has announced the return of the harvest festival this weekend.
The two-day event on Saturday and Sunday at locations around the district would be a ‘‘celebration of seasonal produce, practical food skills and the depth of knowledge held within our community’’, event organisers said.
Wao food resilience programme manager Babu Blatt said the weekend was not just about workshops.
“It’s about strengthening our connection to land, food and each other and showcasing the growers, makers, educators and practitioners who quietly hold so much wisdom in our region,’’ she said.
The weekend programme would feature hands-on workshops, guided tours, and talks designed to reconnect people with where their food came from and how it was grown, gathered and prepared.
Sessions would include rabbit preparation with local hunter Dan Orbell, herbal tea making and botanical walks with Loran Verpillot, glutenfree baking with Tanja Schwindt, hot and cold smoking techniques, vegetable garden planning with Ali Soper, preserving workshops, and immersive guided walks and talks with Sam the Trapman.
A pot luck ‘‘community feast’’ would be accompanied by live music from Devil’s Nook and followed by a Ceilidh dance.
Guests were invited to bring a homemade dish to share.
Wao’s food resilience report, released last year, said the Queenstown Lakes district would need to at least double and possibly triple its food supply by the mid 2050s.
‘‘We need to get edible food into people’s homes rather than the bins.
‘‘Education is part of it, but so is infrastructure, systems that can make redistribution easy, not a burden,’’ it said.
Ticket prices start from $15 with free entry for children under 18.
More details about the event can be found on the Wao Wānaka website.
