Kaikoura festival shows seaside living Kiwi-style
30 Sep 2009
Life revolves around the sea in Kaikoura on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island, and once a year the rich harvest of local seafood becomes central to a now internationally renowned festival.
Kaikoura Seafest is to be held in the seaside town on 3 October, the event will attract thousands of food and wine buffs to the region for a family-style festival that showcases an impressive range of fine local foods, wines and beers.
Now in its 14th year the festival has grown from humble beginnings to become one of New Zealand’s premier food and wine events. Visitors flock to Kaikoura to feast on freshly caught seafood and some of New Zealand’s best wines.
Seafood selection
While the region is world famous for whale watching and swimming with the dolphins, it is also famed for its bountiful supply of popular seafoods.
Festival-goers can look forward to whitebait, crayfish, oysters, salmon, scallops, mussels, paua and prawns - as well as other local cuisine provided by a record number of stall holders.
Emu, ostrich, wildfood, local cheeses, home-made chocolates, local beers and award winning wines from the vineyards of the neighbouring Marlborough region will add to the 2009 event’s smorgasbord.
Food and Wine Trail
This year the Cuisine Tent will be hosted by the North Canterbury Food & Wine Trail representing the 60 businesses from across Kaikoura, Hurunui and Waimakariri districts who feature along the popular tourist route.
As well as cellar door tastings and samples of local produce, stall holders in the Cuisine tent will include accommodation providers, cafés and restaurants found on the Trail.
Organisers say the festival is a taste, sight and sound extravaganza and as well as entertainment on the day there will be a ‘Big Top Bash’ the night before (2nd Oct) featuring top New Zealand entertainers.
The venue
Few places in the world can boast such natural wonders of both land and sea as Kaikoura.
Situated on the rugged coast between Christchurch and Picton it is overlooked by mountains which are snow-capped for much of the year.
The contrasting deep blue of the Pacific ocean provides dramatic coastal alpine scenery and the region is dedicated to protecting the local natural beauty and wildlife.
Kaikoura offers a large selection of eco-tourism activities and local tour operators offer the chance to watch whales, dolphins, sea-birds and many other species of marine life on a daily basis; by boat, flight or by land.
Local fishing guides provide visitors with the chance to get out on the water and try their luck. Scuba divers can experience some of the best reef diving in the country and other sea-based activities include kayaking around the Peninsula.
Land-lovers also have a range of options from four wheel motor biking, horse trekking and hunting, to star-gazing, wine tasting or experiencing Maori hospitality. The Kaikoura area also offers walkers of all ranges and abilities, a variety of scenic tramps and climbs.
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