GourMay, a celebration of food and produce from the Mary Valley, gets under way this weekend with an event that is clouded in mystery.
Artist and Artisan – Opera In The Shed, featuring Sydney soprano Donna Cain, starts the month-long festival … in April, at a destination that has been kept secret.
Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce secretary Malcolm Oakley said the interest in GourMay had been building since it was launched in November.
“It’s been a wonderful achievement in terms of the community becoming involved and creating their own activities to be part of this month-long celebration of food in the region.
“Not only that, it makes people aware of the region on a year-round basis.
“So many people have got on board to support it, and not just the commercial ventures but the swimming pool, rail trail, country club and the RSL Hall.
“The Mary Valley is about tourism, it’s about agriculture – and putting the two of them together to create Gourmay has been a no-brainer.
“The beauty is the Mary Valley being a long thin region following the Mary River with all the villages gathered along it.
“Virtually all have got involved in one way or another.”
Imbil, being the centre geographically, will host most of the events with Festival Day on Saturday, 6 May, at the Rail Trail Park.
Kenilworth is holding a tasting festival towards the end of May.
Amamoor has Walking with the Macadamias later this month, in conjunction with the Macadamia Conservation Trust.
It tells the story of the wild macadamias and how all of the macadamias in the world can be traced back to this region.
Opening the festival on Sunday, 30 April, Artist and Artisan will be a bespoke music and slow food experience from 12pm hosted by Green Bowl Edifice.
Featuring naturally-sourced dishes presented throughout the afternoon, it will be highlighted by Donna Cain who learned piano from the age of six and music has been her passion ever since.
Other Week 1 events include a Photographic Exhibition Launch on Thursday, 4 April, at Imbil Community & Sports Club from 6pm.
Food of the Valley, Farming, Production and Creation is the creative way in which photographers see the Valley and its close and enduring relationship with food.
Dingo Creek Vineyard at Traveston will hold Vintners Lunches each Friday from 12pm. It will see curated local produce plates to share, matched with wines and presented by owners Doug and Michelle Tritton.
Friday, 5 May, will also see the opening of the art exhibition An Epicurean Delight by renown artist Ian Mastin.
This will take place at 6pm at Art on Yabba in Imbil, and include an opera performance by actor and singer, Lincoln Scott.
“GourMay reminds us how important it is for the producers after coming back from a tough period of drought then flooding and Covid,” Malcolm said.
“That’s very important.
“People discovered the Mary Valley during Covid. They could drive here within the various lock-down boundaries set, and discover what is being produced here.
“In some ways Mary Valley didn’t suffer that much due to it’s location during lockdown – many people being able to travel th 50km and 100km distances.
“Then to find all this fresh air, green hills, blue skies, and how easy it is to get around.”
For further information, bookings: www.maryvalleycountry.au/gourmay-2023.html
