Strong northwesterly winds on Sunday may have cooled off the heat of the day a little, but it certainly didn’t deter lovers of food and wine from venturing into the historic township of Clyde to be a part of the annual Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival.
Sunderland Street swelled to accommodate the hundreds of visitors inspired by local wines and produce.
A large crowd lined the main street to gain entry, and once in, soon realised the wait was well worth it.
The festival, which showcased wine from the Alexandra Basin was a welcomed day out over the Easter break, a chance to linger in a crowd, and enjoy the hospitality organised by the Promote Dunstan Group.
Last year’s event was a casualty of Covid and was cancelled due to lockdown restrictions, having the larger than usual crowd turn up this year is heart-warming for the region.
The Stoaker Room spent the afternoon presenting their finest meat sandwiches to the hungry crowd, showcasing their unique barrel cuisine, while pickles, chutneys and cheeses accompanied wine tastings perfectly throughout the day.
High winds did make this years’ festival a little difficult for stall holders eager to keep hold of their wares, especially the New Generation Liquorice stall who used every trick in the book to keep their light and delicious sweets available for customers, but the wind managed to catch the treats sending packets of liquorice flying.
Some stall holders found battling the wind was too much and decided to pack up early and head home.
“It’s great to be out and about with people again after a long year. We are all so lucky to be able to come along to events like this and enjoy them,” says Ellen Stacy from Dunedin who along with friends made the journey to Clyde especially for the occasion.
Organisers were thrilled to see the crowds of people lining the historic and quaint streets of Clyde to enjoy the offerings of the region.
