Did I just say Wildfoods festival? Yes fellow friend, I did
:)
This adventure and version of Robert's Tiki Tour takes place on
Saturday March 14, 2015
~ For those Pi Day 2015 :) 3.14159265359 :)
This event was sponsored through The Uni's LUSA (Lincoln
University Student's Association) :)
The bus was scheduled to leave at 7 AM and not return until
9 PM!!!! What a day it was going to be!!
The weather was to be sunny and Praise the Dear Lord, it could
not have been any better :)
Let me just say Hokitika, is a town on the west coast of the
South Island and man it is the
"bomb diggity" :) I would love to go back!!!
My fellow friend Tanner (an exchange student as well, from Missouri)
and I had a blast at this festival and then were able to go into Hokitika and
tour the small little local town and indulge in the beach, which is the Pacific
Ocean!!!!!!
I know you are probably wondering, what is the meaning behind
this festival I attended?
Well my dear followers please dive in,
The Story Thus Far...
“Local woman, Claire Bryant, instigated the very first celebration of local wild food. Her wine cellar was very well stocked with a home brew of West Coast gorse flower wine and people were clamouring for a taste of her rose petal brew. So why not a festival celebrating the tastes of the wild West Coast? With the event coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the birth of Hokitika, in March 1990, the Festival was born. And so it eventuated, locals and the rest of New Zealand were captured by the magic of the idea - a celebration of Hokitika and the wild foods of the West Coast. Since then, the Wildfoods Festival has become an iconic and premier special event in New Zealand. The first Festival attracted a crowd of 1,800 and has grown ever since with attendance peaking at 22,500 before being capped at 10,000 in more recent years.
New wild foods are introduced every year, with the festival exhibiting an assortment of crazy and creative foods. Festival-goers have the opportunity to try crocodile bites, chicken feet, grasshoppers, colostrum cheesecake, mountain oysters and the infamous stallion protein shots. And for the foodies, who prefer less of a sting to the palate, there is marinated tuna, whitebait patties, smoked high country salmon and an assortment of game meat.
The Festival offers local community groups, individuals and businesses the opportunity to raise funds and profile their products which is an important part of the event. The roving entertainment, mingling amongst the crowd, and continuous stage performances enliven the Festival arena with bands, solo artists and comedy. Attendees can also experience cooking demonstrations with wild food chefs - there is something for everyone.
Hokitika has a colorful history - settled in the 1860’s after the discovery of gold, it soon developed into one of the busiest ports in New Zealand. Today it is a town with wide attractive streets, friendly people and a population of 3,000. Tourism, farming, fishing and forestry provide for the economy. Much of New Zealand’s pioneering spirit is still close to the fore in Westland, making it, in some instances, an untouched region of natural beauty and experiences. A great opportunity to experience the Coast, the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival is an event not to be missed, so grab your friends and family and come join us!”
I think these following photos will show just how WILD and AMAZING this DAY was :)
I hope these photos find you having just as much FUN as I did :)
