Whitianga Scallop Festival, 28th August 2010
Seafood lovers in the Coromandel will congregate in Whitianga on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula during 25th to 29th August this year to celebrate the Pecten novaezelandiae, or in other words, New Zealand scallops. These large fan-shaped shellfish will be cooked and served up by top chefs in a multitude of ways. With over 60 food stalls at the festival, there are scallops, seafood, wine and beer to tempt every tastebud.
Festival Events and Highlights
- Over 60 food stalls serving scallops and seafood with wine and beer to suit every taste including paua, whitebait, mussels, oysters, flounder and seafood chowder.
- Live music and entertainmnent from local and nationally-acclaimed performers including a ukulele group, Opensouls and the Con-rays, featuring Eddie Raynor and Paul Crowthers from Split Enz.
- Cooking stage with celebrity chef demonstrations from Ray Mcvinnie, Brett McGregor and Niki Wickes.
- Roving entertainers including a brazillian street percussion group and brass band (dressed like scallops!).
- Displays featuring the diving scene in Mercury Bay and the new lifeboat.
- Arts and crafts stalls selling handmade toiletries, clothing, photography, jewellery and more.
- Other activities include the 4-way bungee tramp, rock-up surfboard, bouncy castle, paintball target shooting, hoopla, roaming magician and stiltwalkers.
- Golf competition – hit the ball into the one floating hole in the harbour and you're in to win!
More Information
For more festival information including ticketing, please see the Whitianga Scallop Festival website. The Coromandel includes main centres Thames, Whitianga, Whangamata, Paeroa, Waihi, Pauauni and Tairua. The Whitianga Scallop Festival itself is held at the Whitianga harbour, located on the eastern side of The Coromandel Peninsula, 208kms from Auckland, 93km from Thames, 42 kilometres from Tairua.
If you want to visit the festival and spend some time enjoying the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula, visit the following links to plan your trip:
- Coromandel Accommodation
- Coromandel Attractions and Activities
- Coromandel Tours
- Coromandel Transport
- Coromandel Visitor Information
All Coromandel Accommodation can be booked online.