The 2007 Manly Food and Wine Festival was a huge success. The organisers learnt from their mistakes in 2006 and brought back the family atmosphere. Wine and food stalls dotted the Corso and beachfront. There were train rides, street entertainers, bouncing castles and more rides for the kids including a ride on train You buy a souvenier glass which had a neck strap for $5.00. Wine tastings were $5.00 each. Fantastic variety of food from $8-12 per plate. The seafood paella from the International College of Management on the Corso was a standout as was the lamb shanks from the Steyne Hotel stall on the beachfront. Lots more choices and perfect weather to enjoy it. There were lots more stalls along the beachfront promoting the environment. You could win a rainwater tank or see the latest Toyota Prius and enter the competition to win a scooter stuff from Scooter Central. The Craft Market in Sydney Road was also on. A great day out.

2006 Report

Wineries from around the state showcase their wines and there are a number of food stalls.

The Manly Food and Wine Festival is always surrounded by controversy with people wanting to change what has traditionally been a winning formula.
It’s usually a great family day out with lots of food stalls and wineries lined along the beachfront together with kiddie rides and jumpling castles. Visitors have been used to meeting up near or on the beach, wandering off to get some fine food and wine and then sit together eating and drinking with their friends while the kids run around on the sand.

This year they really messsed up so lets hope the organisers learn for 2007.

Some in the community decided that in the past, it wasn’t really a food and wine festival at all, but a big booze-up. So they decided to restrict the action by reducing the number of food stalls and give the local restaurants extra outside dining areas. The thinking behind this was that Manly has lots of world class dining and visitors should be encouraged to sample those resaurants lucky enough to be situated opposite the beach or on the Corso. Then, having sampled their fare, would be encouraged to return to said restaurant again and again.

This was a rather stupid idea. The empy seats at lunch time as seen here proved this was a failure. When there are a lot of food stalls all in a row with wine stalls scattered in between, it is great fun to browse with friends. Lots of choices, all for a few dollars and all within a few meters of each other, and  thats half the fun. Get food, get wine and sit down with friends and family.
So what happened? The kiddie rides and jumping castles were there. The handfull of food stalls were scattered all over the place. There were just 2 on the beachfront next to 5 wineries. and 4 or 5 in the Corso. Originally, 2 food stalls were to be set up near the wharf but it was too windy so they had to bunch up with the other 3 on the Corso together with another 6 wine stalls.

So the wine stalls outnumbered the food stalls 2 to 1 and of course, it was an even bigger booze up than in the past. 

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great day out (Hic!) Lets just hope they get it right next year and bring back the family atmosphere.

For the wine buffs it was a treat.
Participating wineries this year were:-

Vinden Estate Wines www.vindenestate.com.au
Mount View Estate  www.mtviewestate.com.au
Madigan Vineyard www.madiganvineyard.com.au
Hungerford Hill Wines www.hungerfordhill.com.au
Cargo Road Wines www.cargoroadwines.com.au
James Estate Winers www.jamesestatewines.com.au
Meerea Park Wines www.meereapark.com.au
Pepper Tree Wines www.peppertreewines.com.au
Briar Ridge Vineyard www.briarridge.com.au
Moothi Estate www.moothieestate.com.au
Huntington Estate Wines www.huntingtonestate.com.au

Independant report by Manly’s own Snoopy Scoop. Send your comments to Snoopy

One of just two beachfront food stalls

One of five beachfront wine stalls

Lunch time and the outdoor restaurant seating is almost empty

All bunched up in the Corso