Wayne Penn, Binna Burra
Who’s going to say it? Sample Festival was awful.
Overcrowded, long queues and rude, pushy people. Not at all the Bangalow that we residents know and love. Presumably they were Gold Coasters busting a nut to be in with the best and the brightest.
The trouble is, the best and the brightest weren’t there to be seen.
It used to be wonderful to saunter around the Sample of old, tasting treats from all the best restaurants around the region.
Now the restaurant stalls have been replaced by the market/ music festival regulars doling out the same old stuff that we see week in, week out. I lost count of the numbers of stalls I saw selling ‘sliders’ (ie hamburgers) and salt and pepper squid. Really! Is this the best we can do?
My favourite, Town, turned out fabulous food as usual under trying circumstances, producing (literally) thousands of wagyu skewers and their divine, signature Bangalow Mess (pavlova plus plus). A shame they didn’t get credit for their excellent contribution.
But honestly, unless there is a change in policy to make this really about the food, and not just the money, I’ll be staying away next year.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
