Seafood Festivals Abound During Rugby World Cup

8 September, 2011

Seafood Festivals Abound During Rugby World Cup

Seafood dominates a tasty line up of food festivals scheduled during the Rugby World Cup.

Oysters, scallops, whitebait, paua, crayfish, and an abundance of fresh fish will be showcased at festivals from Northland to Bluff as part of the Rugby World Cup 2011’s REAL New Zealand Festival.

New Zealand Seafood Industry Council Chief Executive, Peter Bodeker is urging visitors and locals alike to get along to some of the mouth-watering events on offer.

“Many of the festivals adopt a regional theme with Bluff for example, having secured an extended oyster season and Whitianga on the Coromandel peninsula gearing up for its sell-out scallop festival,” he said.

Also on the Coromandel Peninsula is the Port Charles Paua Festival, which promises loads of “innovative and tasty Paua cuisine cooked up by the Coromandel locals.”

The Auckland Fish Market is pulling out all the stops for the World Cup with events such as a Seafood BBQ and inspiring cooking classes at the Seafood School.

This year marks the inaugural Port Chalmers Seafood Festival. Port Chalmers is the major fishing port for Dunedin and the community is keen to showcase its fabulous seafood and interesting history.

The West Coast of the South Island is also hosting a Whitebait Challenge with eateries along the Coast vying to be crowned ‘Best in the West’ for a Whitebait meal creation.

“If you are traversing the South Island by train or car make sure to stop at Kaikoura not only for the wildlife but also for the Kaikoura Seafest,” says Mr Bodeker.

REAL New Zealand festival says the Kaikoura Seafest is a perfect chance to try out delicious New Zealand crayfish and other kaimoana (seafood) straight from the sea, and right in the heart of New Zealand's crayfish capital.

Other festivals with a ‘taste of the ocean’ include the Picton Springfest, Russell Oyster Festival and Taste Nelson.

More information on seafood festivals as well as many other seafood ‘hot spots’ can be viewed online at www.seafood.co.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media