A month-long celebration for all things food, will put the North West Coast on the culinary map, for the Devonport Food Festival.

From the farmers that grow produce, to the local chefs that prepare dishes, Devonport Food Festival founder and chair, Councillor Lynn Laycock said there were plenty of events for the community to get involved.

Cr Laycock said the festival celebrations organised by the Devonport City Council will include the combination of food and community events held throughout Devonport and surrounds.

“The Devonport Food Festival is such a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate how food brings our fabulous community together,” Cr Laycock said.

“We have such a great range of events on offer, including cooking demonstrations, product tastings, producer and factory tours, free family events and much more.

“Since I had the pleasure of founding this event, my passion and those that shared the vision was to celebrate our region’s food and wine, not just our city’s.

“Having a regional vision is important and if we can all celebrate and support one another we are so much stronger together.”

One highlight for this year’s festival includes a free guided tour at J and A Brandsma’s farm on Thursday, 20 October to see where Angel snacking tomatoes are grown.

The Brandsma’s have been growing produce in Turners Beach since 1958. Three generations later, brothers, Marcus and Anthony have taken over the business. 

“We have been hosting the farm visits for the Devonport Food and Wine Festival for a few seasons now,” Mr Brandsma said.

“It’s the provenance, the origin of where your tomatoes come from, and you can see how we grow them.”

Anthony Brandsma said the farm tours are important as they help people connect where the food comes from and the grower.

“It’s great that people see our farm and see for themselves how the tomatoes are growing naturally,” he said.

The festival will also include a free family event titled Spring Fling on Sunday, 30 October from 10am until 2pm at the Devonport Bluff, hosted by Council.

The country like fair for the whole family, will feature a range of food and drink vendors, plus live music, baking competition, traditional races and games, free face painting, henna, a dog training demo with Meadway Mutts, recruitment stalls, pony rides, and more.

Other highlights include:

• Don River Railway, Thursday, 13 October, with a Long Table Dinner, featuring a five-course meal matched with local Tasmanian wines amongst the trains.
  
  
• Home Hills Garden Soirée, Friday 14 October, enjoy some live music.
  
  
• The Bright Cider Life, Saturday, 29 October at Spreyton Cider, is one for the whole family to enjoy with a relaxing day! Live music, food vendors, face painting, balloon artist, and more.
  
  
• Do you want to see the very heart of where your favourite Angel snacking tomatoes are grown? You are invited to join J & A Brandsma’s free guided farm tour, Thursday, 20 October.
  
  
• Enjoy the Living Lightly Expo at the Devonport Community Garden on Saturday, 29 October. Learn ways to save money, live well and take care of the environment,

The program is available at https://devonportfoodandwine.com.au/

Photo: Marcus, Jan and Anthony Brandsema with Devonport City Council Events Officer Bella Richardson and Devonport Councillor and festival founder and Chair Lynn Laycock. Image: Deborah Wallace.