Family fun at mid-winter Remarkables Market

Family fun at mid-winter Remarkables Market

Family fun and fantastic local food, products and artisans make a welcome return to Queenstown next week with two 'Mid-Winter' Remarkables Markets.

Taking place in and around the Remarkables Park Red Barn from 10am to 3pm on Saturday August 20 and Saturday August 27, shoppers can browse books, crafts and savour the taste of local and regionally produced food and drinks.

Remarkables Park Special Projects Coordinator Olivia Porter said the markets had been brought back by popular demand as part of the QRC Downtown Sessions Festival running along-side the 2011 Winter Games elite sports competition.

The first market on August 20 is a Family Fun Day with bouncy castles, face painting, craft and entertainment for the young ones while parents browse their favourite stalls and discover some new offerings from stallholders.

Highlights include Over the Top helicopter specially priced joy flights throughout the day. Over the Top are patrons of the Winter Games and will have a helicopter based at the market from 10am to 3pm.

"The Queenstown Primary School Rock bands will be performing between 12pm and 1pm on the 20th August and for the first time we're having the Bungy Tramp at the market, which we're told is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

"We've had a great response from summer stallholders who had a hugely successful first season in the Red Barn and are very excited about the return of two 'special' markets during winter," said Miss Porter.

"Gibbston Valley Cheese are bringing their new Manuka-smoked style Gibbston Valley Gold, there are lots of freshly-baked home-made treats including Crisp & Vale homemade meals 'made with love' and Gourmet Kitchen's Yummi sauce and tasty slices. Deep Creek Deli will be back with their award winning sausages and Black Cat Bookshop is having a massive clearance."

New stallholders featuring at the Mid-Winter Market include Wanaka based Kitchen Window Catering. They use locally-grown fruit as much as possible to make handmade chutneys, sauces, dressings, jellies and marmalades in small batches. Winter specials will include Cherry Sauce, Bengal Chutney, Pear & Fig Chutney and Grapefruit Marmalade, as well as delicious hot soup.

On August 27 there will be a hamper giveaway, entry is by making a purchase at any of the stalls, and it's also the weekend that Harvest Gardens and SBS Bank will launch their September seed giveaway.

"Harvest Gardens and SBS will have flyers with discounts on gardening and veggie growing products from suppliers supporting the promotion, and will be selling Jacqui Stubbs 'Growing your own in the Wakatipu' Books which sell for $25," said Ms Porter. A $5 donation from each book sale will go towards local schools or the Harvest Community Gardens.

Both Mid Winter Remarkables Markets feature alongside more than 20 off-snow and ice business and community-initiated festivities taking place across Southland, Otago and Canterbury in celebration of the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games.

Miss Porter said this was a fantastic opportunity to integrate an international event into the local community.

Among the stallholders confirmed for the markets are Kapuka Pork , Gourmet Kitchen, Jackson Cupid Coffee Cart, Churchill Stewart Island Salmon, Mayo Homewares, Traditional Heritage Preserves, Fresh Fish brothers, Bacon Butties, Lunarfour Distributors, Black Cat Bookshop, Fiona Garlick designs, Cup and Cake, Naked Baby, Ngara Sonter, Bonjour resturant and cafe, 3 Little Rascals, 4MyEarth, Bungy Tramp, Gibbston Valley Cheese, Zamora Homemade, Deep Creek Deli, Crisp & Vale, Kitchen Window Catering, Melt Candles and The Moss Girls.

ENDS

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