SOME 4500 people attended Narrabri's biennial food and wine festival, Nosh Narrabri, this month, breaking attendance records and bringing much-needed cheer to Narrabri Creek's dusty banks.
Nosh showcased the best in food, beverages and produce from across the region, with 40 exhibitors showcasing their wares to the enormous crowds, while local musicians and Nosh's hotly contested competitions kept them entertained.
Nosh president Darrell Tiemens was overwhelmed with the result. "On behalf of the Nosh committee, enormous thanks to all who came to Nosh Narrabri. We had amazing crowds once again - we're so thrilled that people love Nosh as much as we do," he said.
"We really appreciate everyone who was part of Nosh - from all our sponsors and supporters, to the 40 wonderful exhibitors who joined us, to all the extra hands that helped us make the event happen, and of course, all the people who came to Nosh at the weekend for the food and wine festival, the 'Nosh on' night concert and the Nosh Long Lunch," said Tiemens.
The big winners on the day were barbecue cook-off champions, Samantha and Cody Huff, cheesecake connoisseurs Merry Conaty, Alex Tanfield and Charlie Baker, who won the unbaked, baked and junior categories of the cheesecake championships, and Rordan Woodhouse who scooped the pool in the regional homebrew championships, with his homebrews taking out both first and second places.
Exhibitors won prizes too, with awards for most innovative product, best merchandising and best customer service going to Paddock Provisions (Goondiwindi), Meat on Maitland (Bingara) and Namoi Nectar Honey (Narrabri) respectively. The overall award for best exhibitor was presented to Ilias the Greek, who travelled all the way from Victoria to be part of Nosh again in 2019.
On Saturday night 500 revelers joined local musicians Sarah Leete, Leyten Smith, Lauren Brown, the 3 Legged Pig Dogs and West and Public and partied until late at the 'Nosh on' Night.
On Sunday 400 people gathered in the Nosh marquee for the Nosh Long Lunch, a four-course Spanish fiesta from Relish Catering, Narrabri, in an atmosphere created by Nosh gold sponsor, North West Events, with entertainment by flamenco performers, the Arrebato Ensemble.
Nosh is a not for profit, volunteer-run event, and supported by the NSW government through its tourism and events agency, Destination NSW's Regional Flagship Events Program.
This year's sponsors included Whitehaven Coal, North West Events, Civeo, Roberts and Morrow, Stoltenberg Flooring Xtra, Santos, Turner Signs & Designs, WTC Earthmoving and Coates Hire.
