This year’s Sample Food Festival almost had to be cancelled after one of the organisation’s key sponsors pulled out at the eleventh hour
Last year’s inaugural event, held at the Bangalow Showgrounds, saw thousands line up to try tasting plates from the region’s top chefs and restaurants.
Organiser of the festival, Remy Tancred, said she was notified just last week that Essential Energy, which last year paid for powering the site and stallholders, would not be able to repeat their sponsorship of this year’s festival.
Ms Tancred said ‘their structure has changed so they just can’t do it this year. We seriously would not have been able to run the festival; supplying the restaurants with power is crucial.’
With just three weeks to go to the October 6 event, Tancred found herself casting around for another sponsor.
She said that community-based social commerce website Community Engine offered the money she needed to get powered again.
‘They came to the rescue with a few thousand dollars,’ said Ms Tancred. ‘They certainly put the capital C back into community; they’ve really come in with community spirit.’
Community Engine will be onsite at the festival too, although the organisation’s expansion plans will see it close its Byron Bay shopfront in coming weeks.
Community Engine’s northern rivers $100,000 giveaway campaign has plenty of money left in the kitty, according to the organisation’s Dean Power
‘We’ve just given out over $11,000 and are so happy to see new organisations signing up all the time,’ he said.
This year’s Sample Food Festival will take place from 8am to 8pm at Bangalow Showgrounds on Saturday October 6.
Echonetdaily is also a sponsor of the festival.
