Taste of Coogee to Showcase Sydney’s Finest

By jimmyhutton on August 30, 2019 in

Eat yourself silly, by Tim Gill.

The fabulous Taste of Coogee food festival is back. Now in its seventh year, this festival is one of Coogee’s biggest annual events and is filled to the brim with great food and wine. Seriously, what more could you want?
This year’s festivities will take place at Coogee Oval (Brook Street, Coogee Beach) on Saturday, August 31 from 10am-8pm and Sunday, September 1 from 10am-6pm. Overlooking Sydney’s wonderful Coogee Beach, the festival will be showcasing Sydney’s best restaurants and boutique breweries as well as some of Australia’s wonderful vineyards.
Love a bit of bubbly? Be sure to visit VBUB, a VW Kombi serving sparkling Prosecco. Or for some lovely Hunter Valley wines, head to the Hungerford Hill stand where you can enter a draw to win an epic tasting for two people. If you’re steering clear of the booze, The Citrus Factory create fresh lemonade made to order in a cocktail shaker. Made with only 100 per cent natural Australian products, it’s a great sweet refreshment for the kids too.
With an endless supply of wonderful new foods and drinks to try, as well as some classic Aussie favourites, you could easily spend the day simply eating and drinking while sitting in the sun. If you fancy doing a little more, there are also cooking demonstrations, free masterclasses and a whole roster of live entertainment that will continue into Saturday night.
Now, those of you who are reading this after your morning cup of coffee may have already realised that September 1 is also Father’s Day. So if you’ve been a bit crap this year and haven’t made any plans yet, why not celebrate that special man in your life with some amazing local food and wine? The festival even has an ever so popular Father’s Day Long Lunch event so that you can spoil him with foodie feasts, fun and entertainment.
Single day general entry is $5 but kids under 18 and seniors can enter for free. You can buy tickets on the day but to avoid queues we advise that you purchase online in advance. If you are planning on enjoying a few alcoholic beverages, a single day RSA wrist band is required (this is New South Wales, after all). These cost $15 but come with a souvenir tasting cup and a drink token to use at the festival.
But the Taste of Coogee festival isn’t just about awesome food, wine, beer and dancing barefoot on the grass. It’s also about supporting local businesses, promoting local artists and raising money for local charities. In fact, since the event was established in 2013, it has raised over $100,000 for charity. This year, Taste of Coogee will be supporting The Banksia Project, an organisation focused on wellness and early intervention in men’s mental health. With the support of events like Taste of Coogee, this wonderful organisation provides peer to peer, community led support in a safe and supportive environment for those struggling with mental health. So not only can you indulge in fabulous foods and wonderful wines while enjoying some epic entertainment, but you can also feel good about the fact that you are supporting a local charity too.
See you there, folks. I’ll be the one hanging off the Kombi like a deranged sloth after one too many.