NANAIMO – “FEASTIVAL” is the name of Nanaimo’s newest annual festival and a unique celebration of the Island’s culinary culture. FEASTIVAL is the biggest one-day food festival in Nanaimo’s history and takes place Saturday, September 26 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre from 10 am to 4 pm.
You’ll find Food Trucks, a Farmers Market, Celebrity Chef Demonstrations, Family Cooking Lessons, a trade show profiling growers, producers, processors, distributors, value-added products, appliances, kitchen goods and culinary accompaniments. Then there’s our “Sips” section featuring tastings of Island wines, craft brews and spirits and an on-site retail outlet. Finally, the 2nd Annual Seafood Chowder Competition will be decided by a panel of celebrity judges and, ultimately, a People’s Choice vote.
Four celebrity chefs will choose recipes from their own cookbooks to demonstrate and share with the audience. Don Genova, of CBC fame, will highlight items from his first book, a BC-best seller, Food Artisans of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Cory Parsons, a Nanaimo chef and author who happens to be quadriplegic will show you how he gets around a kitchen to produce some amazing dishes. Daksha Narsing, spice master and author of numerous Indian inspired cookbooks will spice things up. Hilary Malone of Sea Salt Food Co, one of the trio of family caterers and cookbook authors, will feature dishes most popular with their customers.
Family Cooking Lessons will be held in three sets during the day. One each for families with children, teens, and seniors hosted by the chefs at FoodShare. The focus will be on preparing local, natural, nutritional foods for your family that please the taste buds and cut the bottom line on your grocery bill.
Our Seafood Chowder Competition debuted last year to much popular acclaim for the 12 Nanaimo restaurants participating. Last year’s champion “Bold Knight” returns to challenge all comers. Food Trucks and the Farmers Market will be located on the streets outside the Conference Centre.
Up to 75 trade show booths will present a wide variety of food-related products and services from a variety of Island exhibitors selling directly from their booths. From food specialties to small and large appliances, flatware and dishware, artisan creations, caterers, restaurants, and value-added products like spices, seasonings, locally prepared and packaged goods and more.
For more information on tickets, to inquire about trade show booth rentals click on www.feastival.ca or call the Chamber at (250) 756-1191.
– Kim Smythe is CEO of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at ceo@nanaimochamber.bc.ca.
