This weekend’s Southland Multicultural Food Festival will be its biggest yet, with 49 stall holders registered, showcasing a huge selection of international and local cuisine.
Held at the ILT Stadium Southland and co-inciding with International Race Relations Day on March 21, the event attracts thousands of people and gives the community a chance to celebrate diversity of cuisine and culture.
Southland Multicultural Trust community engagement and office manager Jo Wilson said her dedicated and passionate team had been working hard behind the scenes to bring it all together - the food, the entertainment and the dignitaries.
“We cannot wait to have people through the door. It’s such a family fun day out and a chance to experience the tastes of the world - southern style.”
Mayors Nobby Clark and Rob Scott would be attending, along with National MP and Minister Penny Simmonds.
Now getting close to 20 years, the event started in just a school hall at James Hargest College and quickly grew to the huge event it is today.
Performers included the O-taiko Japanese drumming group, Columbian cheerleaders, Filipino dancers, belly dancers, the Kiribati Catholic community dance group, and individual singers as well.
There would be bacon butties, liquorice, Columbian food, cuisine from Sri Lanka, Brazil, Phillipines, “we are literally catering for so many different flavours,” she said.
Last year nine of the vendors sold out their food by lunchtime, so the secret was to come early and avoid the crowds.
“What brings people together is food and music. Eating is such a social thing and the food festival is about allowing people to have a sense of belonging,” Jo said.
